The Pack Chronicles Book Five: Heat
by SixthOfLorien
Summary: Arbor Uley is forced to move back to La Push with her family & already has her suspicions-but when a group of man meat starts invading her house on a daily basis & no one will give her answers, she'll start looking for her own. How far will the rebellious daughter of the Alpha himself go to get what she wants...and what consequences await her?
1. La Push Isn't Ready For Us

"La Push?" I asked, feeling my face twist up in confusion. "What the hell are we going to La Push for?"

"Language!" Mom cried as she passed the doorway to the kitchen, laundry basket in hand as usual. Dad rolled his eyes at her and continued on, leaning against the counter.

"Yes, La Push," he grumbled. "We have to go back."

"Back?"

"You don't remember living there? I'm sure Adam and Sam do."

"Of course I don't remember living there, Dad, I thought you said I grew up over here?"

"We lied."

"Yeah, no dip…"

"Language!" Mom cried again, poking her head in the doorway this time before scurrying away. Dad laughed lightly.

I studied the both of them, fancying the way they always had a reaction to each other. Neither of them ever said or did anything without the other saying or doing something in return.

That was the thing about my parents. They were best friends. Inseparable. Unlike so many kids at our school, I'd never seen my parents argue, Hell, I'd never even seen them shoot each other a dirty look unless it concerned me and how I was being raised. Even when Dad had a long day at work and Mom looked like she'd had a fight with a briar patch, they looked perfect next to each other.

"I still don't understand why we have to move." I grumbled, picking at my apple. Dad frowned at me and patted me on the leg as I swung it back and forth against the cabinet.

"I know, Kitty, I know."

Kitty. That's another thing. When I was six, I'd found that I was the only human being alive able to sneak past my father without him hearing. Not Mom, not Adam, not even Sammy, who was the one who was the quietest of all of us. When I'd managed to successfully waltz into my parent's bedroom, lift a 5 and make my way out to the ice cream truck without anyone hearing me, they went crazy, like I was some sort of magician.

"You didn't hear her leaving?" Mom screamed, her tears slipping over her bronzed cheeks. They _might_ have all thought that I was playing in the front yard and gotten kidnapped or something. (I know, I know, what the hell, right? My family's awkwardly protective; it's something you'll get used to.)

"No! Not at all! It was like one second she was in the house, and the next second she wasn't!" Dad defended himself loudly, bewilderment filling his gaze while I attacked my Bomb Pop, ridiculously proud of myself.

Ever since then I used it to my complete advantage. They never caught me, not until I came back at least. I could come and go as I pleased, do what I wanted for the most part which earned me my ridiculous nickname. What really got me was the fact that they all expected Dad to be able to hear me anyway. Why would he? I was only "5'3", and 112 pounds. There was no reason my Dad should've been able to hear me!

"I don't wanna go." I pouted.

"Why, don't wanna leave your boyfriend?" Adam teased, waltzing in the same way he always did-as if he owned the damn place. He threw an orange in my direction-and even having amazing reflexes, it caught me in the side of the face, nearly toppling me off the counter.

"Can it, Adam!" I yelled, swatting at him.

"Boyfriend? What? NO, no, no, no, who said anything about you having a boyfriend?" Dad cried, his jaw dragging across the floor.

"What's wrong baby, don't want me to spill your secret?" Adam egged on, pressing and pressing until finally I got a hold of his dark locks.

"Zip it!"

"Get off, freak!"

"NO REALLY, WHO SAID YOU COULD HAVE A BOYFRIEND?"

"Honey, have you seen the washcloths?"

"ADAM LEIBER ULEY, GET OFF ME RIGHT NO- AHHHH. DAMN IT ADAM, YOU'RE SO FAT."

"WASHCLOTHS? WHO CAN THINK OF WASHCLOTHS WHEN OUR DAUGHTER HAS A BOYFRIEND?"

"FAT? You're calling _ME _fat? Nonsense."

"Sweetie, you have a boyfriend?"

"NO! Mom, get him off!" I whined, my face pressed against the cold tile as Adam lay on my back.

Dad picked my brother up by the collar as if he weighed 2 pounds instead of 165, nearly tossing him halfway across the kitchen before scooping me up by the shoulders.

"SO YOU DON'T HAVE A BOYFRIEND?" He asked, excitement growing in his voice.

"Nooo!" I cried. Relief washed over Dad's face as Mom shrugged and waltzed out of the kitchen again, Adam rubbing the back of his neck where Dad had picked him up.

"What were you whining about when I came in, anyway? What exactly are we leaving?" Adam asked, sitting across from me on the breakfast bar.

"Here," I grumbled, hopping back onto the counter. "We have to go to La Push."

"La Push? What the hell are we going to La Push for?"

"Dammit, Arbor Jordyn, what did I tell you about language?" Mom yelled, tossing her slipper at me.

"OW. IT WASN'T-Ugh, what's the point." I growled, rolling my eyes.

"There's just some things we have to take care of." Dad shot quickly, avoiding our eyes.

"Things like what?" Adam pressed.

"Like…things."

"Like….what." I asked, Adam and I working together on this rare occasion.

"Like things that you don't need to worry about!" Dad cried, throwing his hands into the air and turning away from us, scrubbing away at already clean dishes.

"I mean, if we don't know, we can't support you." Adam said, the smart-aleck that I'd grown up with starting to appear.

"Listen," Dad said, his voice growing stern. "We have to make this move. There's nothing we can do about it, there's nothing you could say to make us change our minds. We're leaving."

"When do I start packing?" I groaned, rolling my eyes.

"Tomorrow."

"WHAT?" I yelled, flinging myself off the counter. Dad sighed and covered his face like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Tomorrow." He repeated.

"NO! Dad, what the hell?"

"I HAVE SOCCER TRYOUTS TOMORROW!"

"I CAN'T PACK ALL MY THINGS IN ONE NIGHT!"

"You couldn't have given us a little more warning?" Adam demanded, throwing his hands into the air.

"Listen, listen, LISTEN!" Dad yelled, his voice ringing through the air. It silenced us both. There was something about Dad's voice when he meant business…something that warned everyone to shut the hell up before they got punched, no questions asked. "I know you guys have spent most of your lives here. Trust me, it's just as hard for your mother and I to accept this as it is for you…but it's something that has to be done. Understand me, Kitten?" Dad asked, his voice softening as he lifted my chin. I hated when he did that to me. Used his fatherly advantage.

My Dad and I were practically best friends, there was nothing I couldn't tell him(unless it had to do with boys), or say around him. He was my protector, my savior, whenever I was lost, he knew exactly where I needed to be, and if La Push, Washington was where it was, then I had to go.

"I understand," I murmured, still pouting a little. Adam stormed out of the room in front of me, Mom brisking in just as we'd left.

I reached into my back pocket, searching for my phone but coming up empty handed. Damn it all. Turning on my heels, I started heading for the kitchen again when Mom and Dad's whispers brought me to a halt.

"Can't shelter her forever, Sam. The boys are getting older, you know if we stay now they're bound to phase."

"I know, Em, I know. I didn't want this for them."

"Sweetie we don't even know for sure yet. You're freaking yourself out, what you need is a cup of coffee and a cuddle session."

"I need more than a cuddle session." Gag. Super gag.

"If things go the way I want them too, she can't be Imprinted on Em. It's way too dangerous especially if one of the bo-"

"Shh. Stop talking about it. Let it go, Sam. Let all three of them be."

"Suppose it's my only option now."

"They're ready for La Push, love."

"I know. But I don't think La Push is ready for us."

* * *

><p><strong>And it's begun! I know, I know, slow start, but cut me some slack...I have writer's block! We haven't gotten to explore the kids' personalites a whole lot yet, but trust me it'll get much more developed with time!(:<strong>

**xoxo-Sixth**


	2. The Uley Kids

I threw my alarm clock across the room in a fit of annoyance, staring at the ceiling as if it was gonna help me stay home from my new school today. Last night, I'd woken up at least four times wondering where the hell I was. I stretched out angrily, rolling over and throwing my face in the unfamiliar pillow.

When we'd first arrived, I thought maybe we'd come to the wrong house. There was still furniture, pictures of Sammy and Adam and I littering the walls, some of Mom's old honeymoon scrapbooks even stayed behind. The floors were the same dark cherry wood as the ones in our baby pictures, the walls still painted with dark greens and browns, Mom's love for the forest screaming in every room you walked into, even mine.

It was big, but not bigger than the one I'd left behind in Forks. The walls were light lavender, the white comforter on the Queen sized bed up against the wall hadn't changed since I was little. My large, white vanity sat next to the bed. I dumped perfumes and lotions on the top of it, organizing and re-organizing them for nearly 20 minutes. I threw myself onto the bed and sighed. I was getting uncomfortable. Nervous. I could feel my heart start skipping, my arrhythmia acting up as I got more and more worked up. Whenever I had one of those situations, ones where I didn't feel like I was safe or wasn't familiar with the territory, it made me itch. Made me feel like I needed to make the area _mine, _mark it so no one else could take it from me. I

It was what I'd done in high school, after all. I had lots of advantages. For starters, you nearly never saw a Quileute girl with russet skin and dark green eyes. It just didn't happen, everyone was born with brown. As for the hair? Instead of the average straight, mine came to the center of my chest in big, thick waves. No crimper was ever needed when it came to me. I'd gotten my high cheekbones from my Mom, my nose from my Dad, and it was a split between their lips. If I'd been born with brown eyes and straight hair, I'd look like an exact clone of them, mixed into one body.

People took notice of me immediately, wanted to be my friend, wanted to know how I acted and spoke-just so they could mimic it. Ever since grade school I'd been known as the girl with green eyes, because I was the _only_ girl with green eyes. The difference between me and others suddenly made me exotic and desirable, and as much as I hate talking about it, people wanted me. Of course I'd had boyfriends, some lasting more than others, but in the end (much to Dad's happiness) I always ended up breaking up with them. Sometimes it was them, sometimes it wasn't. Sometimes I felt like I was looking for something in life that I couldn't quite get my hands on, like there was something missing even though I couldn't put my finger on it.

I'd stacked the white bookshelf with story after story, laying some of my favorites on my desk at the edge of my bed. My favorite blue chair was nestled in the corner underneath a white orb that acted as a light, my t.v. and its stand in between the bookshelf and the chair. After what felt like days of putting up pictures and drawings and poems and awards, the room had finally been painted with Arbor. Now, anyone who walked in would realize it was mine right away.

"Sweetie.." Mom murmured softly, poking her head through the door.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm waking up." I grumbled.

I sat up and yawned as Mom positioned herself behind me, brushing her fingers through my waves. I let her braid it, pinning two thinner ones back into the larger one as Adam got ready for school next door to me. Mom and I giggled quietly as he swore after falling over something.

"You nervous?" she asked.

"Nah," I answered quietly. "I'll be more than fine within a week."

"I'd put money on it," Mom murmured. "You were quite a big deal back home."

"Mom…" I groaned, pulling away from her. This was one of our biggest problems. To me, being popular and making friends was a sport. No matter who I met or talked to, they were so shallow that the second I came to school in sweat pants they were gone. I knew I was hanging out with the wrong people, was positive that I should start trying to make better friends-but it didn't matter because even if I did they'd never fully understand me. They'd think I was a bitch, call me crazy if I explained some of the things that went on in my mind, like the way I loved running through the forest barefoot on the rare occasion Dad didn't manage to find me before I got a good start, or the way I'd sit in the rain for hours just to smell everything.

I know, I get it. You probably think I'm crazy too, which, again, is why I don't bother making friends. Yes, I can smell the rain. It smells like cedar and pine, fresh, like grass and forest, and all the animals breathing in quietly. It smells like freedom, a little like purity, like it could wash all of your problems away if you sat in it long enough. Not only that, but I was at least four times stronger than any other 15 year old girl I knew. I was faster, stronger, could endure longer than most people _dreamed._ I'd never told Mom or Dad, not even Sammy, who was my closest sibling. If I'd gone up to them in a fit of confusion over how I could see nearly half a mile away and smell everything from here to East Jesus, they'd put me in a nuthouse….so I played it off the same way everyone else had perceived it: I was just gifted. Adam was on Varsity soccer all of his three year of high school, Sammy was a shoe-in for Valedictorian, it wasn't hard to pretend that I'd simply come from a family of amazing people. Even if I played every sport the school had to offer and excelled at all of them, people allowed me to blend in with my siblings just like I needed to.

"Okay, okay…I'm sorry. The sun's out, don't be afraid to shed some layers, alright?" Mom said softly, closing the door behind her before I could answer. Guilt washed over me. Even since I'd been little, Mom and I had never had a very close relationship, nowhere near as vital as the one between my father and me. We'd tried time after time to find something in common-she liked shopping, I liked track shoes. She liked playing with my hair, I liked playing with cars. No matter how much she wanted a daughter she could take to the mall, I refused to go unless it meant I got new running shoes.

Sighing, I pulled on a pair of dark blue shorts and a white V-neck sweater, rolling up the sleeves as I pulled my braid over my shoulder, a few stray waves framing my face lightly.

"COME ONNNNNN." Adam whined from the hallway, jingling his keys loudly. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my backpack before throwing the door open. I stuck my tongue out at him, Sammy emerging from his room in a black hoodie and jeans, throwing his arm over my shoulder and kissing my temple as we came down the steps.

"Sleep well, Kid?" he asked in his deep voice, grinning at me.

"Could've been better."

"I heard you get up at least three times." He laughed, grabbing a piece of toast from Mom's hand.

"Me too." Dad nodded, slurping up his Cheerios.

"Do superpowers run in the family?" I asked sarcastically, grabbing some eggs off the counter. Mom and Dad exchanged looks. "Seriously though, since when did you develop super-sonic hearing just like Dad?"

"How come I don't get superpowers?" Adam whined, wolfing down some bacon. By the time I answered, he'd gone through two plates of food.

"Because you're lucky." Dad laughed, Mom swatting at him.

"Because you eat like a two-ton lion." I grimaced, watching him attack a third plate.

"Rawr." He grinned, winking at me and showing a mouthful of food. I threw a spoon at him and gagged, prompting him to laugh as he finished his breakfast.

"The men in this family are weird." I grumbled, shoving the last of my toast in my mouth.

"Got that right." Mom laughed quietly to herself.

Adam piled his plates on top of each other and handed them to her, grabbing his keys again and kissing her on the cheek before heading out the door. Sammy did the same, me second, only I gave Dad one too.

"Be safe Kitty."

"Always am Poppa."

I slid into the backseat of Adam's black Jeep Wrangler, the noise of the rain rising as he opened the garage door.

"Lovely weather we're having." He grumbled as we pulled out of the garage, my new/old house disappearing behind us as he sped down the road.

"This place looks like butt." I whined, staring at the miles and miles of trees surrounding us.

"You look like butt on a regular basis but we tolerate you anyway." Adam countered, earning himself a swat on the back of the head. "But no, really, we need to have a mini-family meeting."

"A mini-family meeting?" I scoffed, shooting him a look in the rearview mirror.

"Yes, a mini-family meeting, punk. Since Mom and Dad are not involved, it's mini."

"Dear Jesus." Sam grumbled in the front seat, rolling his eyes.

"We need to discuss Arbor and making friends."

"Excuse me?"

"Obviously, we will be very hot commodities with our dashing good looks and manly builds, so it'd be unfair for you to drag us down to the depths of LoserVille, which is probably bound to happen anyway if nature is left to itself."

"You're worried about ME making friends?" I challenged, knowing that he was half right. It wasn't that I'd have trouble making friends, I already told you all how I work when it comes to that, but it's just that he and Sammy wouldn't have any trouble either.

In the least awkward way possible, my brother's and father were some of the most handsome boys I knew. Sam took after Mom, he and I looking an awful lot alike aside from the green eyes. His hair was thick and wavy, his lips full and plump, his bronze skin as clear as could be. He was at least "6'3", only two inches taller than Adam, who looked a lot like Dad. They were both distinct, but in all of us there was an underlying feature that pulled us all into the category of _family. _

"He's kidding." Sam reassured me, reaching over the seat and grabbing my hand. I loved my brother.

"I'm not!" Adam cried, nearly jerking us off the road.

"Christ, Adam! Pay attention!" I yelled.

"I get to drive next time." Sam grumbled.

"Besides," I added, craning to get a good look of the school as we pulled into the crowded lot. "If anything, I gotta worry about you dweeps cramping my swag."

"It's worse than I thought." Adam sighed quietly to himself, shaking his head before parking and whirling around to face me. "Let's make a deal, we're strangers. We've never seen each other before."

"Adam, we look exactly alike."

"Our Mom was a little loose back in the days?"

Sam swatted him on the back of the head for the annoying comment before climbing out and opening my door for me. I climbed out, having to hop down at least a foot to reach the ground.

"Jeez you're small." Sam murmured, patting my head.

"I get that a lot." I grumbled, scanning the lot with my brothers.

"Who are they?" Adam asked quietly. I followed his gaze to a group of boys that looked like they belonged in our family. They were all ridiculously tall, only a few inches taller than my own brothers with huge bulging muscles. The only girl there looked like she could easily take on Adam, her pretty face set in a permanent grimace.

"They're on steroids." I cried quietly, my eyes wide. Sam laughed quietly, kissing the top of my head.

"They're some of Dad's friends, guys. I remember them, don't you?"

"Absolutely not."

"Nopeee."

"Adam, you were only like two, and I don't think they've ever met Kitty."

"How come I never got to meet them?" I whined, suddenly feeling left out.

"Cause Dad's a freak." Adam shrugged as the group of boys made their way towards us.

"Sam!" The tallest of the group smiled brilliantly, hugging my brother.

"Guys, this is Quil, Collin, Michael, Seth, and Leah. They're some of Dad's friends' sons."

"Friends." Seth laughed quietly to himself. He had a gorgeous smile, as if it could light up a room. "Whatsup short fry?"I shot him a look and he laughed again, holding his hands up in defense.

"This here's Kitty. Well, Arbor. But we call her Kitty."

"Hmm," Michael said quietly, nudging Collin. "I could see why Sam doesn't want her down here." The two exchanged laughs and high-fives as I stared at them, eyes wide.

"Kitty like to purr?" a teenage boy asked, his group of friends whistling as they walked by.

"I hate cats." Leah grumbled, glaring. I shot Sam an awkward look.

"Where's Embry?"

"Out today."

"Awwe. Poor kid."

"Yeah, he's been having a rough time with his Mom lately."

"Kitty? Where the hell did that come from?" Quil asked, changing the subject and shaking Adam's hand.

"She's the only one able to sneak past my Dad."

"You can sneak past Sam?" Collin asked in amazement.

"Why the hell does everyone seem so surprised? Dad's old."

"Old? Old has nothing to do with it, kiddo." Michael shrugged.

"I thought we couldn't age as long as we still pha-" Sam's hand clamped down over Seth's mouth as he laughed nervously.

"Can't age? What do you mean you can't age?" I asked, staring at all of them. Quil turned a little red before running off with Adam to discuss the Wrangler. Michael and Collin pretended to see something interesting in the tree right above us. Leah looked at me like I was retarded.

"Ahh, he was kidding. It's a metaphor Dad used to use." Sam laughed awkwardly, nearly shoving Seth to the ground and towing me away.

"Okay, see ya later!" Seth cheered happily, waving ecstatically at us before Leah swatted at the back of his head.

"What's up with them?" I asked as Sam threw his arm around me, everyone we passed turning to stare at us.

"The people down here are weird. Just odd." Sam rambled, steering us into the large building.

He led me through the sea of people, and I was relieved to say that if I ever got lost, he'd be easy to spot in a crowd.

"Hey," he said, leaning against the secretary's desk. "Arbor and Sam Uley."

"Oh my!" The woman exclaimed, nearly knocking over her chair as she stood. "You two have gotten so big!"

"Well…yes. That tends to happen…" Adam grumbled, having ripped free from Quil's chokehold. Sam nudged him.

"Adam, Sam, such big boys! And _you," _she exclaimed, her eyes hounding in on me as she leaned over the desk, Adam having to back up to escape her coffee breath. "You have gotten so _beautiful. _You look just like your mother! And those _eyes!_"

"Thanks." I smiled politely, the familiar compliment going over my head as I fiddled with my braid.

"We need our schedules." Sam murmured awkwardly, his face inches away from the woman's. She threw herself back into her chair, typing away rapidly at her computer before the printer started beeping.

"What a nutty." Adam murmured almost silently to me. Almost silent wasn't good enough. Sam picked it up immediately, tipping over Adam's chair so quickly that I was sure he'd broken something. "Tool." Adam grumbled, standing and crossing his arms.

"Here you are!" the secretary exclaimed, handing us all our papers.

We hurried out of the office.

"She was staring at your butt." Adam said pointedly, looking down his nose at his schedule.

"Was not!" Sam cried, nearly tearing his in half.

"Was too."

"She wasn't."

"I swear, bro, I saw it."

"The only reason you said anything is because you're jealous."

"JEALOUS? I laugh in the name of jealousy. Ha. Hahahaha."

"HARDY HAR HAR."

"You're so superfluous."

"You don't even know what the hell that means."

"Do too."

"Spell it."

"S-U-P-E-R-"

"WRONG."

"WHAT? THAT WASN'T WRONG. THAT'S HOW YOU SPELL SUPERFLUOUS."

"Nope, there's a T in there."

"A T? There is no T!"

"It's silent."

"You're gonna be silent."

"Ha."

"HARDY HAR HAR. ISN'T SO FUNNY NOW IS IT."

The two argued back and forth as I marched ahead of them, desperate not to be seen with the two overgrown lumberjacks wrestling in the hall. After I'd nearly sprinted up a flight of stairs and turned two corners, I found myself standing outside Geometry.

"Come in." A man's voice rumbled after I knocked on the door lightly.

I swept into the room, whispers flying through the air the second I stepped in. The teacher's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"ULEY! You're Uley's daughter!" he exclaimed, waving me towards him. I stepped forward reluctantly. "I taught your father!" he beamed, as if that was supposed to make us best friends. "Everyone, this is Arbor Uley, Sam's daughter." More whispers hit the walls, apparently my Dad was well-known around these parts. Someone wolf-whistled, earning a round of applause. My cheeks turned bright red as I smiled awkwardly.

"Take any seat, any seat you want. I'm Mr. Devon." The man smiled, shaking my hand roughly before nearly shoving me towards the rest of the students.

Everyone stared at me expectantly, as if it were some sort of ritual and I were a sacrifice. I took the easy route, sliding into a seat in the second row. The boy in front of me turned around and held out his hand immediately, followed by the girl to my left.

"Eli." He smiled. "And that's Elissa." I said hello to both of them, giving them a flawless smile. Eli's shaggy blond hair dusted over his dark brown eyes, his chiseled jaw prominent. His bottom lip was a little too full for the top, giving him a natural smirk. He wasn't as tall as Sam and Adam. Of course he wasn't, my brothers were mutants, but he was a good "5'11".

Elissa was pretty. Her long hair reached down to her elbows. It was a lot blonder than Eli's, nearly white, although you could still tell the two were twins. They were light for Quileute kids, but I didn't make a comment. Lately La Push was getting more and more diverse, don't ask me how but it was as if recessive genes had decided to grab an upper hand on the sleepy town, sick of being undermined.

"You're Emily's daughter?" Elissa asked. At first I was a little startled by her voice, it was a soprano sound, as if she was trying to speak and sing at the same time. I nodded, trying not to die of laughter. "You look a lot like her!" she smiled. I grinned at her, giving a thank you before Mr. Devon shushed us all and continued with the lesson.

I didn't even try to pay attention. I'd been horrid at Math my entire life, and since it was my only rough subject, Dad had given up on grounding me when I came home with a solid C each semester. I stared out the window, trying to ignore half the students in the room staring at me.

"Is that a track?" I asked, eying the red and white striped synthetic turf. Elissa nodded, turning halfway in her seat.

"You plan on joining the team? I hear they could use a few girls."

I shrugged. Why not? I'd end up joining just about everything anyway.

"As if, she couldn't keep up with half of us." Eli winked, teasing. I raised my eyebrows at him, smiling.

"You wanna bet?"

"Ooo, do I smell a challenge?"

"You smell a death wish, kid."

"Coach wouldn't let you sprint on your first day anyway." He smirked, turning back around. I tapped my pencil on the back of his head and sat back. Ooooo, he was gonna be sorry.

"How'd it go?" Sam asked as I left the room.

"How'd what go?"

"Asking you about a Math lesson is just as pointless as having sex to keep your V-card."

"Ouch."

"Sorry, kid." Sam laughed, ruffling my hair.

"What about you? How was it?"

"History? It was disastrous."

"That's a word you've never used before," I said, sarcasm dripping from my tone. I stopped at my locker, exchanging books, catching a student here and there that would be too obvious about their staring. "What made it so bad?"

"There were girls _everywhere._" He whined. I shot him a look.

"You're whining about girls?"

"I know, I know…it's just….back in Forks,"

"You screwed half of them before first semester, and now you just don't know how to choose which one you'll go for first?" I teased. Even if Sam was a ladies man, he didn't _mean _to have a lot of sex. It just so happened that girls were extremely willing to open their legs for him.

"No," he corrected, elbowing me. "Back in Forks I thought I'd made it pretty clear that I wasn't really interested in a girlfriend, and now they're everywhere. It'll take me forever to fight them all off."

"Jeez." I muttered, watching as several females flitted past my brother and I, making direct eye contact. He groaned and slammed his head against the locker.

"Bro, I'm gonna have a little trouble keeping our bet." Adam murmured in distress, jogging up to us and keeping his eye on several of the girls' behinds.

"No, no, no, if I have to fend them all away then you do too." Sam cried, throwing his hands in the air as we started walking to our next classes.

"Are you kidding? This is a whole new start! We're new men, new men with power! With great power comes great obligation to tap every girl in tow-"

"OKAY, LEAVING." I yelled, hurrying away from them for the second time that day.

It was the same in every class. A teacher would see me, squeal, and then present me like a china doll before a sea of curious faces, half of them already bewitched by my looks. It made me a little sad, sort of. The fact that half of them would already like me without me having to say a word. It wasn't fair. What happened when I really needed someone, or when I wanted someone to talk to? They'd sit there and nod their heads, agree with everything I had to say just because they thought I was pretty.

I faced the lunchroom, the worst part of the day coming to a head: where to sit. Wherever I chose, I'd be stuck. Clung to, like a priceless diamond. The second I tried to hang with a new crowd, I'd be eaten alive and drowned with guilt until I agreed to never leave again.

"Scared?" Elissa asked, making me jump. I laughed lightly and nudged her with my hip.

"Where are you sitting?" I asked, looking around the room.

"Oh, I usually sit with my-"

"Kitty!"

I looked for Sam's familiar face, smiling when I finally found it. He was sitting with Quil and the others, waving frantically to get my attention.

"Do you…"

"Yeah, I know them unfortunately." I grumbled. We laughed, a tall, skinny girl with long dark hair popping up out of nowhere, just like Elissa had.

"You know those boys?" she exclaimed, her big brown eyes extremely wide. I nodded in fear, clinging to my lunch tray.

"Forgive her," Elissa groaned, rolling her eyes and pushing the girl back slightly. "She's obsessed."

"I'm not obsessed, I just find them extremely attractive."

"Like I said, she's obsessed."

"Wanna sit with us?" the girl asked, still staring at my brother and his friends. "You can tell us about your friends!" My stomach churned. Here came the part where I was used up like a sheet of paper. It happened my entire life. I was a tomboy, a guy's girl, and as soon as I became friends with the guys, girls would kill to be my friend just to get closer to them. I shook my head.

"Uh, sorry, maybe some other time. I promised my brother I'd sit with him the first day." I lied, making my way down the small steps and heading towards Sam.

"What was that all about?" he asked as we sat down.

"You heard that?" I asked, eyeing him. He'd been halfway across the lunch room.

"So she doesn't know at all?" Seth asked, clearly confused.

"Know what?"

Quil smacked him on the back of the head again, sending his bread flying across the table.

"WHAT?" Seth cried, clearly upset.

"What don't I know?" I asked again.

"Nothing, nothing." Quil murmured quickly, waving me off.

"Weirdest human beings I've ever met.." I muttered, earning a light chuckle from Collin.

"I wanna go home." I sighed, munching on my fries.

"That's not what I heard." Michael smiled. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What'd you hear, punk?"

"I heard about your little bet with Eli Welsh. You really think you can run against our girls' track team?"

"From what I hear there isn't much of one, no offense." I laughed quietly.

"You can run?" Seth asked, munching on one of his several baskets of food. I gave him a weird look before nodding. I liked these boys already.

"Wanna come watch?" I asked them excitedly. They all nodded, smiling.

"Don't invite Leah." Collin murmured to Seth, who shot him a look.

"What's wrong with Leah?"

"She's a little…bitter." Quil smiled lightly, all of them smiling at each other. I didn't get it.

"I FEEL LEFT OUT." Sam cried hysterically, throwing a chicken wing at Quil. It landed square in the middle of his forehead, all of us roaring with laughter as he pretended to look hurt.

I nearly fell out of my chair giggling, my abs getting more and more sore by the second.

"Good lord, you're gonna kill her." Seth laughed, watching me. I sat up in my chair, laughing again here and there in memory of the incident. There. I felt comfortable again. Peaceful.

"I know you're worried about this place." Michael said quietly, nudging me. I turned to him, the both of us in our own little world as the rest of the boys prattled on about bikes and cars.

"Why would I be worried?"

"Oh please, you're a better liar than most people think but you can't fool _me,_" he laughed. "You're nervous because you're pretty."

Whoa.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me. You get nervous because you're worried nobody's actually gonna like you for you."

I stared at the strange boy in bewilderment.

"How did…I mean, what?"

"It's a long story."

"A story we need to make time for." I demanded, smiling at him. He nodded, taking my plate of nachos from me.

"Sure, whenever you want. But there's four other people at this table that can hear half a mile away, I don't think three inches is enough privacy."

"You're strange." I murmured honestly, trying to read his expression. He shrugged at me, smiling.

"Down here, we're all strange."


	3. Arbor Abnormal

"Ready to get that ass whooped?" Eli called, directing everyone's attention towards me. I ignored the hordes of boys whistling to me as I waltzed across the football turf to the starting line.

"This oughtta be good." Adam grinned, nudging Sam. Everyone out on the track had stopped to stare at me.

"Better stop while you're ahead." I warned sweetly, standing next to Alex on the starting line. He rolled his eyes at me and kicked at my Air Maxes, only agitated me further.

"You can't race here!" a deep voice ordered behind me. I whirled around as the track coach jogged towards us, an angry expression on his face.

"Excuse me?"

"You're a girl. You can't run with the boys track team."

"So let me run with the girls."

"I've never seen you run, you just expect me to let you on?" he demanded, scoffing at me. The clouds rumbled overhead, the brewing storm casting a grey light on all of us.

"Yeah." I answered simply, Sam laughing to himself across the field. The coach rolled his eyes and started walking away, shooing me off the turf.

"Hey!" I ordered, grabbing his arm. "That isn't fair, you can't just refuse to let me run."

"It's my track team, and I can do what I want. Leave."

"Make me." I demanded, crossing my arms. The team chuckled behind me, the coach growing angrier by the second.

"You think you're good enough to run with my girls?"

"Your boys."

"You think you could keep up?"

"I think I could beat them. Barefoot." I said slyly, kicking off my shoes. Murmurs erupted behind me, Adam and Sam's new friends nudging them and warning them to stop me while I was ahead. My confident brothers brushed them off, well aware of what I was capable of.

"Get off my turf." The coach growled, stepping too close to me for his own good. Sam gave out what sounded like a growl, his friends staring at him awkwardly.

"If I lose, I will. If I win, you put me on Varsity. With the boys. Put your four best on the line. I'll dust all of 'em."

The coach scoffed and looked to his boys for confirmation, all of them waving me off with cockiness. A few stepped up, those who I assumed were ranked the highest on the team.

"Fine." He laughed, throwing his hands in the air. "Make a fool of yourself, sweetheart. Do what you want."

I smiled triumphantly and moved to the starting line next Eli, who looked more worried than anything.

"Arbor I get it, I know what you're doing but I don't think you do," he warned, furrowing his brow. "Nobody's gonna let you live this down."

"I can take care of myself." I said sweetly, crouching at the line with the others.

I could feel all of my sense zeroing in at once, adrenaline rushing through my veins as I readied myself. My toes dug into the turf, my fingers curling in front of me as I listened to my surroundings, the cocky heartbeats of my opponents beating loudly in my ear.

"Ready…"Sam whispered from 100 yards away. "Get ready, Kitty." I focused on the coach's hand in the air, counting the seconds until it'd move. "Give it all you got."

The second the coach's arm sliced downwards, I was off. My entire world turned into slow-motion. For every step the boy's had taken, I'd taken three. I was already six meters ahead of them before the first four seconds were up, the shouts and cheers of everyone on the field only driving me faster. My bare feet hit the turf with a satisfying thud, my palms flat open as if I was on another run in the woods. The wind couldn't hit my body quick enough, I cut through it like scissors to paper.

"KITTTY! YEAH KITTY!"Sam yelled.

"WHOOP DAT ASS!" Adam screeched, flailing about frantically. I pushed harder, deciding that now was a better time to show off than ever. I started in on the turn, keeping my body as close to the angle as possible, my legs kicking up faster than I ever imagined. Of course I'd gone on run after run, it cleared my mind, it made me feel like I was free-but I'd never _raced _anybody, never had anyone there to push me to the edge until now.

I sped past the rows of cheering students, heading for the next straightaway. I shouldn't have looked over my shoulder. The expressions on their faces were priceless, true Kodak moments. Eli looked beyond frustrated, as if he was going as fast as he could and trying not to pee himself at the same time. The only boy in front of him damn near tripped over himself, and the two in the back had given up long ago. There was only one curve left, and I crushed it, the turf starting to split beneath my toes as I went full speed, killing the last 100 meters.

I jogged across the finish line for good effect, laughing at everyone's faces as the boys sprinted through behind me nearly a minute later. The coach stared at his stopwatch in disbelief, unsure of what to say.

"I…I mean you…"

"What was her time?" Adam called, egging the man on.

"It..I…"

"Come on, what was her time?"

"30 seconds…"

"30 SECONDS FOR A 400?" Eli screamed, grabbing the stopwatch and staring at it in disbelief. Everyone was staring at me like I was Jesus himself, and it took all of me not to make another smartass comment to the coach.

"30 seconds for a 400 meter run…" the coach murmured to himself again. "You have to be on the team!"

"Now why would I want to do that?" I asked, everyone's jaw hitting the floor in sync. Sam raised his eyebrows at me as I picked up my shoes from the coach's feet and slipped them back on, throwing my hair into a messy bun and turning to everybody. "Raise your hand if you didn't think I could beat any of them." I called. Every hand present went into the air. Someone had the nerve to put up both of theirs. "Now put your hand down if you feel really, really stupid."

Everybody's hand went down. I nodded, inspecting them all. It was as simple as that, really. They knew who to look up to, they knew who they couldn't bully, they thought if anything, _I'd _be doing the bullying, which I never would-but that's how assumptions work, you know?

"Can it." I smiled on my way back to the car, Adam bouncing up and down like a three year old.

"AAAAAAAAAH I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!" he cried picking me up and whirling me around. "THIS IS MY SISTER. THIS ONE. THE SMALL ONE. THAT ONE RIGHT THERE." He screeched, pointing to me. Everyone laughed loudly, earning me more pats on the back than I ever thought possible.

People were sweet to me after that. I'd learned that not only did they think I'd automatically become a cheerleader, they also thought I'd be a total bitch and join the wild pack of Hyenas, including Elissa and her friend, that walked about the school making fun of anyone who crossed their path.

"Heard you put on quite a show." Elissa smiled, taking a seat next to me at lunch the next day.

"Guess so." I murmured, my mouth full of apple.

"Look I'm really proud of you and all, but I don't think you should do it again." She shot quickly, batting her long eyelashes at me. I furrowed my brow and swallowed.

"Sorry, what?"

"I mean hanging out with us. I know it sounds so stereotypical, but we aren't really used to…sporty…girls hanging around, and we'd be more comfortable if you just kept along with the trend."

"Trend?"

"She repeats everything…" her tall friend groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Leave." I said, shaking my head at them. The two girls exchanged confused looks and stared at me again.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, leave." I repeated, turning towards my salad once again. The girls stayed put.

"I don't understand."

"I don't know why…" I said as nicely as possible. "The last people I want to hang out with are those who can't handle me being me." I stated flatly, turning back to my food as the two girls scurried away from the table.

"Don't worry about her." Eli murmured, nudging me with his elbow. I popped a grape into his mouth. "She'll come around!" he said in between bites.

It was the same thing Mom said that night at dinner after Adam and Sam had told my tale.

"And she literally beat the woman's record for the 200 meter dash, let alone doing it for the _400_ is just insane!" Adam cried, his green beans flying across the table. " SHE'S AN ALIEN, I SWEAR!" he giggled, clapping like a mad man. Dad shot him a look and threw a cup at him. It bounced off Adam's head, prompting him to stop immediately and frown.

"I'm not an alien." I smiled.

"Just a showoff." Sam teased, poking me with his fork as I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe Lissa's right, Kitty."

We all stopped mid-bite and stared at my father confusedly.

"What?"

"I mean maybe you should keep a low profile for now."

"Why would I do that?" I demanded, surprised he'd even considered taking her side.

"All I'm saying is that-"

"All you're saying is what?"

"Maybe it's better if you blend in with the other girls."

Sam looked like he was desperately trying to save Dad's life as he silently pleaded for him to stop while he was ahead. Adam's jaw had hit the table long ago, Mom pursing her lips as if to say 'well, he _is _right.' Dad looked like he'd just stepped in a bear trap, and he might as well have. It was my biggest pet peeve, the quickest way to piss me off was when my family decided to turn on me. We were freaks of nature, amazing aliens to normal people around us. It was us against the world, if Hitler himself had risen from the dead, it was our job to stick together and fight him off until every single one of us was safe. Blending in with other girls wasn't my forte, and Dad knew that.

"Why should I blend in with the other girls?"

"Things are just easier that way." Mom jumped in, shaking her head.

"Being different makes me special." I defended.

"Everyone's special."

"Which is just another way of saying no one is."

"Arbo-"

"Why would it be-"

"Dammit, Arbor could you just listen to us and do as we say?" she yelled, throwing her silverware down. "How are we supposed to explain that our _daughter_ is on the boys' Varsity track team? What are we supposed to tell people?"

"That I have something I'm good at? Is that so hard to do?"

"It's agitating to do, yes!"

"When am I gonna be alright for you?" I asked, exasperated.

"WHEN YOU QUIT BEING SO DIFFERENT!" Mom cried. "You have to be loud, powerful, you have to succeed at everything you do as if it's a disease, Arbor! You have to win at _everything,_ and no one else acts like that! Why can't you just be normal?"

Mom's hand flew to her mouth the second the words came out, but there was nothing she could've done to stop them from sinking into my skin. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Minutes of silence went by.

"You're right." I said flatly. "And I'm not hungry."

"Arbo-"

"I'm not gonna eat." I stated, taking my plate to the kitchen where I easily lifted myself out of the window and started walking.

"Kitty!" Sam called behind me. I ignored him.

I wanted to be anywhere but in my own skin. It felt thick, heavy, like it belonged to someone other than myself. I'd tried to make excitement out of nothing, brew a story in the midst of this sleepy, boring, town, and the fact that La Push wasn't built for stories was shoved into my face. If I kept living in nothing, I'd surely kill myself. Keel over. Die of absolute disappointment. I _needed _a story, prayed for it more times than I could count, and as I trudged my way through the dew-glazed trees, I mulled over all the ways I could turn a boring story into one filled with life.

The walk took hours. Days. Years, until I picked up a small trickling sound in the air. I followed it, unsure of where it was leading. I pushed through into a clearing, my jaw hitting the forest floor as I gazed at the mile-high pile of rocks, clean, clear water rushing down it's slopes and peaks into a small, peaceful pool four feet away from me. I edged towards it, staring all the way down to the deep blue bottom. It was beautiful. I dipped my fingers through the cool liquid, trailing them here and there as it breathed life into my palms. This is where I'd start my story. This is where I'd pray for one, forget myself and my family's estrangement from me. I wanted a story badly.

And boy, was I about to get one.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! Just clearing some things up. Evan is Jordyn and Lucas' son, he does go to La Push highschool but we'll learn about him later, so don't worry!<strong>

**Sam jr. is 18, and he's a senior, while Adam is 16 and Arbor is 15, both Sophmores.**

**Most of the wolves have graduated, but you'll see why a few have remained in school in a little while. I promise the plot will work itself out as long as you try to stay along with the story!**


	4. It's Official I'm Insane

My head snapped up as Dad entered the house, sopping wet in a pair of cut-offs. I furrowed my eyebrows, Sam doing the same as he put a finger to his lips.

"I already know you're there, Sam." Dad murmured quietly. Sam set his homework down, hopping off the couch and giving me a last look. He moved into the kitchen with Dad, my father yawning as he came in. I followed silently. Who would miss a conversation like this one, especially if it'd be one that would explain why my Dad had spent the last two weeks sneaking out of the house and not coming back until 2 in the morning?

"Where were you?" Sam asked quietly, sinking into one of the kitchen chairs across from my father. I slid down the wall quietly, pulling my knees to my chest.

"There's some stuff we need to talk about." Dad sighed, tiredness seeping through his tone. I felt bad for him.

"Stuff like what?"

"Stuff pertaining as to why we had to come back to La Push."

"Dad?"

"Sam, I need you to trust me alright? And even more importantly I need you to keep it to yourself. You can't tell your siblings, especially not Kitty."

"Why not Kitty?" Sam asked, his voice straining slightly. We'd always had the worst time keeping things from each other.

"Because she's bound to go looking for answers if we don't give them to her ourselves. The second we give her an inch, she'll take a mile. You know that."

"I don't understand why you're all being so hard on her all the sudden," Sam muttered darkly, fiddling with the side of the table. "She's been fine up until now."

"Your sister has to learn that not everything is a sport, Sam. She's never going to connect with actual people that way."

"Actual people?"

"When was the last time you went anywhere without your sister? When was the last time she brought someone over?"

"Dad what does that have to do wi-"

"Your sister feels just fine being a part of other people's lives, Sam. But she refuses to let anybody be a part of hers and it's not good for her."

"Whatever," Sam muttered, tipping back in his seat. "She's fine the way she is."

I felt the sting of the insults. Even if it was for my own good, I didn't _want _anybody to get to know me, and this was exactly why. What would happen when people figured out that I wasn't just a pretty face, that I wasn't always ridiculously graceful, that I didn't have much to say because my brothers were always able to read my mind? I either came off as a bitch or a recluse, and if that's what helped people sleep better at night then I'd let them think that about me. It's why I chose to stay around my brothers as much as possible, why I didn't feel like giving 100% when it came to boys. They never stuck around long, but family always did.

"Take a walk with me." Dad murmured after a few moments, Sam following him reluctantly to the door. He sniffed several times, a sign for me to follow as soon as it was safe.

I tiptoed into the kitchen, tossing myself out the window the same way I always did, landing easily on the balls of my feet. Dad and Sam were moving towards the woods, murmuring to each other so low that even _I _couldn't hear them. I followed silently, slipping beneath the trees, their heavy footsteps echoing through the air.

"I need you to stay calm, alright? I need you to stay calm when you see this. Stay calm." Dad was using the words over and over again like he was praying to a God or something, Sam's usually content expression shifting into a worried one the farther they dug into the forest.

"Dad…" Sam murmured, coming to a halt. "You have to tell me what's going on."

"Whatever you do, don't run." Dad ordered, Sam shifting in his place as if he were bracing himself.

Dad turned to the forest and nodded, taking in a rush of air before doing something I'd never seen him do before. He howled. Deep, long, low, he howled, his voice far from human. Sam's eyes were wide with horror, and I could almost hear our minds working in sync. Our Dad was going bat-shit crazy, and there was nothing either of us could do about it. The second the howl was cut off, the forest floor seemed like it was rumbling, heavy footsteps heading our way as they hit the ground with inhuman force.

Sam shot a look in my direction and I started pulling myself up the tree next to me, only half way bothering to stay quiet. It felt like a stampeded, the branches shaking wildly in my face as I pulled myself farther and farther.

"Dad…" Sam again, more worried than anything. "Dad..."

"Just stay put," Dad ordered. "Just don't move, trust me." Dad was using his voice again, the one that made everyone obey. Sam was rooted to his place, whether he wanted to be or not. I climbed out across the branches for a closer look, praying my brother wouldn't be eaten alive.

They exploded through the trees as if they'd done it a hundred times over. They were massive, beyond massive, gigantic. Each was a different color but was equal in ferocity, their razor-sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight.

"Oh my God." I whispered, all of their heads snapping up towards me at once.

"Arbor?" Dad asked, squinting as if he could barely see me. I scrambled backwards, doing anything I could to keep from being seen. The branches whined underneath my weight, one snapping after another.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I murmured to myself, trying to scramble up the cascade of falling limbs, the ground getting closer and closer to me. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, SAM!" I yelled, slipping between two thick branches, a few stray, skinny whips catching me by the skin as I crashed downwards. I heard my name being shouted followed by a series of roaring, the tree becoming nothing but a blur around me as I collided with the forest floor.

* * *

><p>My eyes snapped wide open, the glare from the sun hurting them immediately. I sat up, my familiar white sheets tangled around my legs as my heart sped up quicker than it had last night. I nearly catapulted myself out of bed, not even bothering to put on clothes as I fled to the kitchen, nearly slipping on the floor twenty some odd times just to get there. I followed the noises coming from the other room, slamming against the door frame, my eyes wide as I took in the state of my family.<p>

"Morning, sleepyhead," Dad murmured, scooping some eggs onto Mom's plate. "You overslept."

My jaw hit the floor.

"Put some clothes on, we're gonna be late!" Adam whined, stuffing his face. I stared at all of them wide-eyed, my family going about their breakfast as if nothing had even happened.

"Dad!" I demanded, catching his attention. He looked up from his plate, popping some bacon into his mouth. "Dad?"

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"Last night?" I demanded, clinging to the doorframe. Mom gave Dad a questioning look, who shrugged his shoulders. "Sam?" I asked, my brother looking at me next.

"You okay kiddo?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in concern.

"What the hell happened last night?" I demanded.

"Language, love." Mom murmured like she usually did.

"Are you okay?" Adam asked, meaning that he was actually concerned. It was one of the few times my brother wasn't teasing me, when he believed something was really wrong.

"I…wh-….I…"

"We're gonna be lateeeee, Kitty." Adam reminded me, turning back to his food.

"Yeah…" I whispered, slowly backing away from the door. "Yeah." I turned and made my way up the stairs, my mind racing with possibilities. Was I going crazy? Was it a dream? Or had it really happened, were the boys in my family keeping a secret from me?

The thoughts were still flooding my head as I pulled on some school clothes, grabbing my backpack and heading to the car before Sam or Adam had even finished eating.

"SO, mini-family meeting number two." Adam boomed, clinging to the steering wheel. Sam and I rolled our eyes in sync. "We need to talk about sports."

"What the hell is it this time?"

"Since your little show on the track a week ago, everyone is expecting Sam and I to come outta the woodworks with some miraculous talent, which should be no problem for us, but still."

"Still what…"

"We still can't have it seem like our baby sister could beat us at something."

"But I _can _beat you. At everything."

Adam glared at me through the review mirror.

"No, you _think _you can beat us at everything just because you're smaller and faster."

"You wanna get your ass whooped in front of a field full of people just like Eli did?" I challenged, sticking my foot in his face. He swatted frantically, nearly crashing the car again. Sam laughed hysterically as I pulled my foot away, Adam rolling his eyes at the pair of us.

"No, but what I really wanna talk about is the Pack boys."

"Pack boys? Who are the Pack boys?"

"Dad and Sammy's new friends," Adam said in a mocking tone, earning a glare from my other brother. "They're watching us like hawks, something's got to be up."

"Who's the new kid? The one that just came a couple days ago."

"Who, Embry? Why, got the hots for him, Kitty?"

"Zip it, Adam. I've only taken one look at the kid, he's never around when we are-that's all."

"Ahh, loving him from afar I see."

"We haven't even looked at each other! Ugh, you're impossible, I just wanted to know who he was."

"Whatever, the point is, those guys are weird. We gotta say something."

"I doubt it's _that _bad." I argued softly, staring out the window.

"Yesterday, the Michael kid was staring you down like you were something to eat."

"I didn't notice him."

"EXACTLY!" Adam cried. "They're like some sort of weird protective stalkers. The other day I almost tripped on something, not that I EVER trip, and Collin acted like I'd broken a leg."

"Maybe Dad told them to watch out for us." Sam shrugged.

"Why would he do that?" I questioned, eyeing him. Sam shot me a look through the rearview mirror and ignored the question, turning back to the window and furrowing his brow.

That was the stupidest possible thing for him to do. He knew exactly what I was asking and had refused to answer, meaning there was something he felt I didn't need to know.

"Maybe he's worried we'll get in trouble up here." Adam answered, shrugging.

"Yeah, maybe." I murmured, still staring at Sam as we pulled into the parking lot.

I spent the rest of the day listing all of the things that might've caused me to go insane and start seeing things. There was my insane brother Adam, Sam the passive one….it could've been the time I brought home a cat in the fourth grade, and caught Dad trying to drown it in a bucket a half an hour later. Maybe it was the time I'd let Mom give me a "makeover", which included getting nearly all of my hair chopped off. No matter what I came up with, it didn't explain why I was seeing things. Nothing was good enough to force me to believe that I'd fallen out of a 12 foot tall tree as an earthquake ensued around my father and Sam.

"You alright?" Eli asked as we sprawled out on the turf, watching my brothers play soccer with the "Pack Boys". I bit my lip, deciding whether or not I could trust him, the rush and noise of construction surrounding us as they remodeled the pavement around the track. I suppose it couldn't have hurt, and besides, making Mommy and Daddy proud was one of my top priorities.

"Alright, if I tell you, you gotta swear not to repeat it to anybody," I murmured excitedly, rolling on his stomach and propping myself up on my elbows. Eli smiled, happy to be a part of the action. "So for the past few weeks my Dad's been coming home ridiculously late, like super late, and trying to cover it up ya know? Last night he takes Sam to the woods to tell him 'something', never said out loud what it was."

"So what happened?" Eli asked, his eyes brightening. His excitement was rubbing off on me, and it was something I'd never felt before. I was _happy _to let someone know what was going on with me, happy to share a little piece of my thoughts.

"I have no idea. You're never gonna believe this, I swear you'll think I'm crazy."

"No, no! Come on, Kitty you can't leave me hanging like that…"

"Fine, fine! So…my Dad, he takes us all the way into East Jesus, right? Drags us through the woods for nearly twenty minutes, and then..…he…he howled."

"HE HOWLED?" Eli exclaimed, hopping to his feet. I ripped him back to the turf immediately, sitting on top of him to keep his mouth shut. Sam glanced over at us. I flashed him a dazzling smile before a soccer ball nailed him in the side of the face, sending him crashing into a few other players.

"That's what you get for being nosy," I murmured just low enough that he could hear, laughing to myself before letting Eli breathe again. "Yes, he howled. I told you you'd think I was crazy. He howled, and then all the sudden the ground was shaking. It was crazy, like a stampede. So I climbed up this tree, right? I was trying to make sure I didn't get trampled while my Dad and brother were standing down their like idiots, and then I saw _them._"

"Them? Who the hell is them?" Eli demanded. I smiled at him, letting the cliffhanger sink in for a few seconds before caving in.

"Wolves."

Eli sat back, his mouth opening and closing several times before he managed to get out any words.

"You saw wolves." He said flatly, raising an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes and kicked at him, leaning back on my elbows.

"Yes, I saw them. And don't ask me if I'm sure, cause I was. You shoulda been there, Eli! They were HUGE! At least 8 feet tall."

"What happened after that?"

"I kept trying to move closer, which was dumb-and one of the damn braches snapped underneath me."

"You fell?"

"At least 10 feet. It was rough."

"Sounds like it. HEY! Watch it!" Eli yelled, flicking off one of the workers as a metal pipe came crashing our way. "Come on, let's move." He murmured, pulling me to my feet. "So what about this morning?"

"That's the REALLY weird part," I started. "This morning, both of them acted like it never happened. They both acted like nothing was wro-"

"What the hell…" Eli murmured, no longer paying attention to me. I followed his gaze as several construction workers yelled amongst themselves over a rumbling machine, a large sheet of glass in its metal jaws. "What are they arguing about?"

"The glass is too wide for the window to the equipment room." I said softly, tuning into their voices. The jaws were shaking frantically, the men rushing around the machine in an attempt to control it.

"Move! Move!" they called, shooing everyone away from the scene. A sea of people rushed around us at once, all of them yelling and trying to get as far away as possible. I lost Eli in the crowd somewhere, everyone screaming in sync as the glass crashed to the ground, the machine toppling over with a loud groan.

Glass washed over everybody, catching me in the face and chest. A hot hand pulled me out of the crowd, Sam's voice humming in my ears. I could hear my own heartbeat, smell the fear radiating off of everyone as they huddled against the turf.

"Kitty, kitty look at me." Sam murmured, pulling me to my feet and examining my face. The smell of blood wafted through the air, this time more distinct than any other time I'd smelled it. This scent was tangy, sickeningly sweet, and all too familiar. It was mine. "Adam!" I cried, clinging to Sam as he wrenched the piece of glass from my upper arm, blood rushing down my skin.

The air was getting thicker and thicker, everything turning white as everyone's voices rang in my ears. My brother was struggling throught the crowd to reach us. I searched the turf as sirens echoed through the air, ambulances well on their way. There was something else that I was picking up, something that wafted over my senses like heaven, begging me to sleep, relaxing every muscle in my body as I searched for the scent.

I almost wish I'd never found it. It was an angel. A God. Too good for this Earth, too good for my eyes, like a miracle all on its own. His eyes were so dark they were almost black, rimmed with lashes thicker than my own. His chiseled jaw defined him as a man, his muscles bulging underneath his black under armor. He was the only boy I'd seen at our school that was taller than Sam, his black, straight hair sweeping over his thick eyebrows. I took in as much of him as I could, the world closing in around me as everything went dark.

*Embry POV*

She was flawless. Unlike anything I'd ever seen in my entire life, which is exactly what I'd trade if it meant I'd get to stare at her all day. Her dark green eyes were growing heavier and heavier, her flawless copper skin flushed red as the wind blew her dark waves wildly around her face. I was falling in love...which was the worst way to put it seeing as those words weren't good enough. No words were good enough. No words would ever be good enough, not even the ones I started listing in my mind that would get me closer to her. How would I make her mine? How could I get to her? Even if I could easily sprint my way across the turf, it was her _heart _I needed to reach. Paul was yelling something in my ear, but there was no way I was listening, especially not with something so much more important standing 20 feet away from me. I needed her. My body was begging for her, screeching as every muscle in my body pulled me towards her. The second we made eye contact there was a flash in her eyes, her breath hitching. She was pulled to me immediately, drawn, our souls set on fire. I smiled, nearly peeing my pants with excitement.

Her eyes snapped shut.

And then she hit the ground.


	5. Everyone Knows But Me

You'd think that with me not being able to see for a few minutes, I'd at least get the tiniest bit of peace.

Sike.

The fact that everything had gone pitch black only heightened my hearing, my senses working almost like they did on animals. I could decipher every single voice rushing through my ears, and there were hundreds of them. Sam's, Adam's, they were all screaming at the rest of the students to get away from me, to let me breathe.

There was an argument ensuing, a different, silkier voice warming my senses as hot irons wrapped themselves around my torso and lifted me from the ground before they were ripped away. What? No! Give them back! I silently begged for them to envelope me again, wishing they'd return as if they'd never left. They'd been warm, safe, I could've fallen asleep in them, could've ignored the burning in my left arm. I pulled my eyes open, water droplets starting to scatter themselves across my skin as thunder rumbled overhead.

"Kitty!" Adam cried, throwing his arms around me. "OH SWEET JESUS YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE ALIVE!" He wailed, swinging me back and forth like a ragdoll.

Sam rolled his eyes and swatted our brother away, picking me up by the shoulders and squeezing me tightly while Adam screeched in the background.

"SHE HAS RISEN! SHE HAS-"

"ADAM, SHUT THE HELL UP." Sam ordered, his temper shorter than usual.

"You scared us there for a second Ki-" Adam started, ignoring him.

"Are you okay?"

I snapped my head towards the voice immediately, my angel shaking furiously, several football players holding him back as he tried to move through the crowd.

"Let him go." I demanded immediately, Sam shooting me an awkward look. The boys furrowed their eyebrows at me, letting him go reluctantly. He was in my face in seconds, examining my arm. There was a rush of murmurs as he pulled his shirt off, revealing thick muscle and glistening skin. My face grew hot as a burning started in my thighs, seizing its way up my body. I wanted him, more than I wanted anything in my entire life. In a split second, I'd gotten hornier than I ever had in my entire life, the blush growing worse as I noticed my scent changing. The Pack boys laughed quietly to themselves, Embry shooting them a look as he split the shirt in half with his bare hands, wrapping a small piece around the gash in my arms.

"Are you okay?" he repeated, his perfect lips parting sweetly. All I could do was nod, trying to collect myself to the best of my abilities.

"I uhm…I was….it…"

"Good." He said softly, smiling. It made me want to melt. "You want me to take you to the hospital?"

"I think it's better if we do it." Sam cut in immediately, eying my new friend. Embry ignored him, staring at me for an answer. It was like being stuck in between two hungry rhinos, really. Whoever said that shit about being able to cut the tension with a butter knife was one of the lucky ones-you couldn't cut the tension here even if you had a chainsaw.

"I just.."

"I'll take her," Eli shrugged. "I need to go anyway." he laughed, pointing to a gash in his jaw. I pulled away from Embry, immediately wishing I hadn't, but wiped away the blood on Eli's jaw, frowning.

"Sorry I couldn't move you out quick enough," he frowned slightly, mimicking my expression. "I tried to pull you all the way but we got split up. Your arm might've made it ya know?" he laughed lightly. I hit him on the shoulder with my good hand, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, and if you hadn't pulled me out at all that piece of glass coulda wound up in my chest."

"Don't say that." Embry murmured, surprised when I looked at him over my shoulder. He furrowed his brow slightly. "Could you hear that?" he murmured nearly silently. I nodded, everyone around us unsure of what was going on.

"What if we take both of you guys?" Michael suggested, shrugging. Adam whirled around, his jaw dragging across the ground as he stared at him in great annoyance.

"WE DON'T NEED A GOD FORSAKEN ENTOURAGE OF ESCORTS." He groaned, throwing his hands into the air. The Pack boys rolled their eyes nearly in sync, Embry hadn't taken his off my face since the second he'd asked if I was alright.

"You guys, we're fine," I assured them softly, shaking my head. "Me and Eli can make it on our own."

"Are you sure?" Embry pressed again, refusing to back down even the slightest inch. Adam shot him a look. I nodded, smiling at him.

"Thanks though." I murmured sweetly, his lips curving up again.

My heart was still fluttering as Eli and I walked towards the parking lot, me fiddling with Embry's shirt wrapped tightly around my arm.

"The Embry kid has an eye for ya." Eli laughed awkwardly, helping me into his car. Sam and Adam honked at us as they drove by.

"What makes you say that?" I asked softly, staring out into the rain.

"You shoulda seen him when you passed out. He nearly trampled half the kids out there trying to get to you, he was the first one to try and pick you up before Adam got over there and went apeshit on him."

"Dammit Adam," I growled quietly, leaning my head against the window. "So that's why they were all holding him back."

"The kid's crazy. He was practically growling at them to get to you." He murmured, shaking his head.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I turned to him.

Eli's face went red as he gripped the steering wheel a little harder than necessary, the car speeding up against the slick highway.

"Nothing, it's just I don't want…any creeps hanging around you, ya know? You're a good girl, I don't want them making you uncomfortable."

"Embry doesn't make me uncomfortable. He makes me feel safe." I murmured, noting his protective tone.

"Do I?" he asked quietly, shifting in his seat. I stared at him for a moment, wondering if I even knew how to answer that question.

"You don't make me feel uncomfortable." I said honestly, smiling lightly at him.

"I can live with that." He grinned, closing his eyes momentarily, the car easing to a halt in the hospital parking lot.

Sam was there in seconds, opening my door and scooping me out like I was a baby doll. I rested against his warm chest, wincing at the slight burn.

"Sam…why the hell are you so hot?" I groaned, shifting in his hold.

"Psh, as if you aren't used to it by now." He winked.

"I'm serious!"

"Am I really that warm?" he asked, furrowing his brow. I nodded, sweat starting to form on the arm that rested against his chest.

"Sorry, kiddo." He murmured, setting me down on my feet and letting me walk on my own. I caught him feeling his own hands several times, as if he almost didn't believe my claim. "Do I feel hot?" he asked quietly, shoving his hand in Adam's face.

"Ah. Move!" Adam whined, swiping at Sam, who only kept pushing his hand against his brothers cheek. "Okay, OKAY YES, YOU'RE HOT. GOD DAMN." Adam cried, stumbling away from Sam, who laughed lightly but continued examining his own skin as if he'd find something underneath it.

I kept my eyes on the doctor as his golden eyes ran over my arm, his ice cold skin brushing mine on occasion.

"There's a slight tear in the muscle, I'm afraid," he murmured, his voice sweet enough to put even the fussiest child to sleep. "You'll have to be extremely careful with it, but luckily it wasn't deep enough to cause any serious damage." He flashed me a smile and finished with the last of the stitches. I watched as the doctor sniffled awkwardly a few times, pausing mid-stitch before staring over my head at the double doors above me.

"Everything okay?" Sam asked, walking in moments later. I nodded, leaning against his shoulder as he sat next to me, brushing a few waves out of my face. "Good, you really-" Sam sniffed awkwardly too, much like the doctor had. Did I smell like ass or something? It looked like he had some odd twitch, as if something was crawling up his nose when he took on a look of smelling something absolutely awful. His head snapped up towards the doctor, furrowing his brow.

"You okay?" I asked quietly, eying the pair of them as they stared at each other in confusion.

"I gotta get out of here." Sam murmured quickly, his skin getting hotter than it was 20 minutes ago.

"Sam, what's wrong?" I asked hurriedly, sliding away from him as he started to shake.

"You need to go get your father." The doctor ordered, staring at my brother.

"Sam-"

"Get me out of here!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the walls as the shaking got worse, the hospital bed moving violently.

"Dad!" I yelled, throwing myself off of the bed and shoving through the double doors. "DAD!" I was flying through hallways full of people, my arm begging for a rest as I used it along with the other to pump me forward. "DAD! DAD!"

I collided with something hard as brick, Embry Call's arms closing in around me, a shocked expression washing over his face.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa where ya going, Smalls?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrow.

"I have to find my-"

"No, no, tell me what's wrong." He demanded, holding me by the shoulders. I was clinging to him frantically, shaking my head furiously. "Arbor, what the hell are you doing?" The sound of him saying my name made me want to collapse into his arms, but there was something more important on my mind.

"Come with me, come with me!" I ordered, dragging him along behind me as we sprinted through the halls, Mom and Dad both turning away from the group of Pack boys in the waiting room.

"Something's wrong with Sam!" I yelled, bursting through the doors with Embry in tow. Everyone stared at us confusedly, Dad's eyes widening. His eyes flickering between Embry and I. Michael pursed his lips awkwardly.

"This is kinda…what we needed to tell you…" he murmured quietly as my father started to shake just as my brother had.

"Tell him what?" Embry asked, furrowing his brow.

"Em…" Collin said quietly, gesturing between my Dad and I. Embry's eyes got wide.

"You're kidding." He breathed. Collin scrunched his face up and nodded reluctantly. "Oh, fuck me sideways." Embry muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What?" I demanded. "What the hell is going on?"

"Sam, before you kill me-"

"My daughter?" Dad yelled, balling his hands into fists. "My daughter of everyone in La Push?"

"You of all people know it isn't voluntary!" Embry cried. It set my Dad off for God-Knows-What reason.

He took off down the hall, shaking so badly that I was sure the floor would crack underneath his heavy feet. Embry lifted me effortlessly off of the ground and out of my father's way, turning us to face the rest of our family.

"YOU COULDN'T HAVE TOLD ME?" Embry yelled, throwing his hands into the air. Seth shrunk under the tone of his voice, something that reminded me of us when it came to my father.

"Told you what?" I asked loudly.

"Embry I don't think you should bring it up right now." Collin warned, his eyes flickering towards me.

"You guys didn't say AYTHING!"

"WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME! MAYBE IF YOU HADN'T RAN OFF TO THE HOSPITAL SECONDS AFTER THEY LEFT-"

"You ran here?" I asked, staring up at him. His face flushed bright red as he refused to meet my gaze.

"I think all of us need to calm down now." Mom breathed, doing anything she could to keep the peace.

Embry started shaking, the third person that day to do so. His hand was like a vice grip around my own, his fingers starting to crush my bad hand.

"You're hurting her." Michael growled, trying to pry Embry's laced hand from mine. Embry started shaking worse, and I tore myself away from both of them, shaking my head furiously.

"Sweetie, come with me," Mom murmured, trying to take my arm. "Come on, we'll take you-"

"I need Sam." I argued, dashing down the hallway again.

I focused in on his voice, levels away as he argued with my father, Dr. Cullen having scurried them out the back door. Why the hell did they need to be outside? I turned corner after corner, trying to re-trace my steps before coming to the long, clear bridge that hung over the highway. The entire thing was made of glass. I stopped in the middle, pressing my nose against the clear pane in an attempt to get a good look at my father and brother.

It wasn't good enough. I needed to speak to them. Now. My footsteps were heavy against the glass underneath me as the bridge grew shorter and shorter, people stopping to stare as I flew by, throwing the heavy door open to the stairs. My breathing was echoing off the stone walls, my heart picking up as I flew down staircase after staircase, desperate to get to my family.

I could hear their voices raising to ridiculous heights, the Earth shaking beneath my feet. I threw myself against the metal exit door, my heart begging for a rest, skipping every other beat as I beat on the escape furiously. They were screaming at each other now, almost to the point where it felt like my eardrums were going to pop.

There was an explosion, multiple roars filling the air as I burst open the door, scraps of clothing raining down on me. The air was thick and unusually hot and humid around me as I scrambled out into the clearing, the trees shaking as if a stampeded was occurring in the forest once more. I picked a piece of Sam's hoodie off the grass, scrunching it between my fingers as I bit my lip in frustration. I begged for my heart to settle down, pleaded for it to stop skipping so I could chase them, but even_ I_ knew that there was no point. They were long gone by the time I'd caught my breath.

"Arbor?"

I whirled around, Embry standing in the doorway sheepishly, a pained expression on his face. I turned to the field of scrappy clothing, explanations rushing through my mind. What exactly was I supposed to tell him?

"I just, I….my Dad, he was just…"

"Don't worry about it." He said immediately, holding his hand out. "Don't worry about anything, okay?"

"What do you know that I don't?" I challenged, narrowing my eyes at him. Embry bit his lip, raising an eyebrow and smiling slightly. That cocky expression made my knees week.

"Will ya just trust me here, Smalls?" he asked, his eyes glinting. I shot him a disbelieving smile, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What do you know?" I asked again, pressing further. Embry sighed and smiled, shoving his hand in his pocket.

"Boy you're difficult." He smiled, not taking his eyes off me. He was soaking me in adoration, something I'd never been used to from a stranger.

"And you're annoying. Now spill."

"Come with me, Kitty." Embry ordered again, this time a little more demanding. I stood my ground and stared up at the sky, my nose in the air.

Embry sighed, closing the distance between us within three long strides and tossing me effortlessly over his shoulder.

"HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" I whined, beating at him with my good arm. He laughed, causing me to bob up and down on his broad shoulder.

"Make me." He teased, starting up the stairs.

"You're so…"

"Annoying?"

"Yes."

"Ouch."

"Maybe if you'd put me down…"

"Maybe if you had cooperated…"

"I want you to go away."

Embry stopped immediately, and I nearly flew off his shoulder, his hot hands having to catch me and whirl me around so I wouldn't hit the ground. I shook the dizziness out of my head and blinked more times than necessary before staring up at Embry's upset face.

"What?" I demanded, watching him pout.

"Do you really want me to leave?" he asked, his tough boy façade melting away by the second. I furrowed my brow at him, the words flying out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Of course I don't." I murmured. My words surprised me more than they surprised him, honesty dripping from every single one of them.

"Good." He smiled, his face lighting up again in seconds.

"Hey! Wha-!" he threw me up onto his back again, patting my butt as we entered the hospital again. I crossed my arms against his back, pouting.

"Don't be such a baby." He murmured, setting me down in front of Mom and kissing my temple. She shot us both a look, raising an eyebrow. Adam was glaring at Embry as he left to join the rest of the Pack boys at the end of the hall.

"What the hell was that all about?" My brother demanded.

"I don't know, why don't you guys tell me." I countered, crossing my arms. "What's going on with Dad and Sam?"

"Dad and Sam?" Adam asked, furrowing his brow. Mom poked me in the butt with a pen, a sign for me to hush while I was ahead. Good. That meant I knew where to get my answers from. I turned on her, raising my eyebrows as a blush spread across her cheeks.

"Mom?"

"We'll talk later, Kitty." She sighed, kissing me on the cheek and wrapping an arm around my waist. I leaned my head against her shoulder, Adam shaking his head in annoyance at the both of us.

"Making new friends?" Mom teased, catching me sticking my tongue out at Embry after witnessing him sneaking a glance in my direction. My cheeks grew hot as I shifted uncomfortably, smiling.

"He isn't a friend." I sighed confidently, the words sinking in my stomach. Mom rolled her eyes at me and nudged me with her hip, nodding her head towards the car. Embry's cocky expression faded just like it had in the stairwell, turning into one of sadness and regret.

It was like my body was disintegrating the entire ride home. The farther I got away from Embry Call, the worse everything hurt, my head starting to pound, my arm searing as I bit my lip to keep from whining. He was like an escape from reality, a chance to forget about everything that was going on back at home.

I waited for Dad and Sam to come home, sat with my head down at the dining table for hours. They didn't come back. Nobody, not Dr. Cullen, not Mom, nobody would answer my questions, not even when I went out on a limb and called Michael.

"You can't sleep here, kid." Adam murmured, kissing the top of my head and rubbing my shoulder.

"I can try." I sighed sleepily, my eyelids growing heavy.

"Try all you want. I'm taking you to bed."

I didn't protest as my brother lifted me from the chair easily, settling into his warm chest as he carried me up the stairs.

"I hate you." I murmured, closing my eyes.

"Love you too."

"Adam, what's happening to Daddy?"

"I don't know, Kitty. I really don't know. But if you want, we'll figure it out."

"I want." I whispered, nearly silent.

"Then we will."


	6. Meet Your New Partner

I woke up slowly, a sweet, melodic sound filling my ears. It was like a guitar, the only thing Dad had used that was able to put me to sleep when I was younger, making it my favorite sound. There was something different about this song, something far more personal and sudden, like a burning that had popped up out of nowhere, one that stung but smoldered my problems away.

I narrowed my eyes at Embry as he plucked way at his shiny tan guitar, my new favorite lullaby filling the room.

"What are you doing here, chump?" I murmured, stretching.

"You talk in your sleep," he shrugged. "You were having a nightmare."

"So you decided to pluck my problems away?"

"It was working, wasn't it?" he grinned, forcing one of my own to form across my lips.  
>"Who said you could come in here anyways?" I asked slyly, slipping out of bed, my waves falling messily over my face.<p>

"Technically, I wasn't _in _anywhere," Embry smiled, swinging himself off the roof and into the window, standing inches away from me. "Not until now."

"Inviting yourself inside?"

"Are you saying you want me out?"

"I'm saying it's nice to ask."

"Can I come inside?"

"No."

"Too late."

"What did I just say?"

"That it was nice to _ask._ Not that it was nice to comply."

I rolled my eyes at him, moving to the dresser to find some pants.

"What are you staring at?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Embry shot quickly, his eyes darting all around the room. I shot him a disbelieving smile.

"You were checkin' me out."

"Was not."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Swear?"

"You have a really cute birthmark on your thigh."

"YOU PROMISED!" I hissed, tossing various stuffed animals at him. He laughed, dodging all of them easily before he took both of my wrists, gentle with the injured one, and wrapped them around my body, pinning me to his chest. I looked over my shoulder at him, straining against his hold and glaring.

"If you promise not to throw things, I'll let go."

"If you let go _now_, I'll promise not to kill you."

"If you promise not to kill me, maybe one of these days I'll leave you alone."

"Really?" I asked in mock excitement, batting my eyes rapidly at him.

"Nope." He smiled, releasing me and tossing himself out of the window quickly, Adam opening the door moments later.

"What are you doing?" he asked, giving me a confused look at my position: me standing and facing the wall as if I was speaking to someone.

"Just…getting dressed." I shrugged, eying the window.

"Decent enough?"

"Enough."

"Good," Adam stated, waltzing in and settling in my favorite blue chair, kicking his feet up on the desk. "Dad's friends are here."

"Dad's friends?"

"The Pack boys."

"Fancy that," I muttered, glancing at the window once again and pulling on a pair of shorts. "What the hell do they want?"

"I've been asking myself the same question for weeks, kid," he murmured, frowning. I watched his expression change as he stared off into a faraway place.

"Adam…" I said cautiously, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "What do they want?"

"They're here for Sam."

That's all it took for me to shoot out of bed and rip my door open, flying down the hallway faster than I had in the hospital. I came to a jog as I entered the kitchen, the Pack boys all leaning against counters and chairs, almost each of them with their mouths full. It wasn't hard to find Sam, he was the tallest in the room aside from Dad and Embry, who'd magically appeared in my kitchen.

"Have a nice morning?" I asked Embry pointedly, shooting him a glare. He laughed as I focused my gaze on my oldest brother, who looked ashamed over anything else in the world. "Sam?"

"What's up, Kitty." Sam murmured. I nearly flinched at his passive tone, furrowing my eyebrows at him. Dad looked like it hurt him just as bad as it hurt me.

"How are you?" I asked softly. Embry's laughter had died out the second he heard my voice.

"I've been better." He laughed hoarsely.

"Did you get a tattoo?" I demanded, eying his left shoulder. He shifted uncomfortably under the weight of my stare, shooting a look at our father.

"Ease up, Kitty." Dad murmured, running a hand through his hair. I shook my head.

"Someone tell me what the hell is going on here, now." I ordered, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Language." Mom whispered into my ear, kissing my temple as she moved to my father. They embraced tightly, as if they hadn't seen each other in weeks.

"What are you all here for?" I asked, turning to the boys.

"Just here to make sure Sam's okay." Michael shrugged, smiling at me with a mouth full of food.

"Ew." I muttered, poking at his ribs as I pushed past him towards the plate of bacon on the counter. I popped a piece in my mouth and moved to my Mom and Dad, wrapping my arms around them both.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, just low enough so only he could hear. He nodded, kissing my forehead, a sense of security washing over me as he did. "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too, Kitty. Remember that." I smiled up at him. I moved to Sam, brushing a thumb over his new tattoo.

"Did it hurt?" I asked, handing him some bacon. He swallowed all of it in one gulp, nodding. "Why'd you get it then?"

"It's a long story."

"It's Saturday. We got plenty of time."

"No."

"Are you mad at me?" I asked, furrowing my brow. Sam's mask of indifference split for a moment before re-building again.

"No."

"What's wrong then?"

"We just…It's nothing, Kit. You just need to leave me alone for a bit."

"What do you mean I have to leave you alo-"

"You gotta stay away from me, that's all."

"What's all? Two days ago you were my brother and now you're acting like I'm some sort of parasite."

"Maybe because you're behaving like one!"

"What did I do to you?"I cried, feeling my face twist up in confusion. "God you and Adam are so damn moody!" I yelled, swatting the biscuit out of Adam's hand just as he was about to shove it into his jaws.

"Hey!" he whined. I rolled my eyes at him and crossed my arms.

"She's a handful." Collin smirked, eyeing me. Embry swatted him on the back of the head.

"You guys gonna keep me in the dark forever?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at all of them. Embry and Michael laughed, Dad doing the same and rolling his eyes while the rest of the Pack boys stared at me, trying not to grin. "Fine, fine, I get it. It's safer if I stay out of it," Dad and Embry's eyes lit up with hope. "So I'll leave it alone. Just promise me none of you will get hurt."

They all gave me a quick 'I Promise' before I left the room, shooting them all one last look.

"At least she promised she'll leave it alone." Michael shrugged, earning a laugh from my father.

"You really bought that?"

"She said she knew she'd be safer."

"She said she knew, kid. That doesn't mean she cares."

I spent the next few days learning the ways of a housewife. Mom spent hours trying to get me into the kitchen with her, which I saw no point in. The second we'd gotten a break, every morsel of food we'd slaved over was devoured within minutes by the pack of man meat that invaded my house. They were everywhere, and even if the thermostat was at 30 degrees, the air in the house was well beyond 100.

School wasn't any better. They followed me like a pack of wild dogs, the second I sneezed, they were there with a tissue. Whispers were flying not only about me, but my oldest brother as well, who'd gone from "6'3" to "6'5" during the week he'd stayed home from school. If Sam was huge before, he was nearly massive now, his muscles rippling underneath anything he wore. He was hovering over me like I was some sort of glass ornament. The second Embry wasn't next to me, Sam was, and it was only making friendships more and more difficult to form.

"I need you to do me a favor." I shot, scooping spaghetti into my mouth. Dad raised his eyebrows at me, the Pack boys chatting loudly in my ear as we sat around the dinner table. "I need you to call off the dogs." Almost everyone started choking on their food at once, Michael dropping the plate he was carrying into the dining room, Quil falling out of his chair, Sam dropping his silverware as Embry nearly knocked his cup over.

"You need me to what?" Dad coughed, blinking rapidly. I shot him a confused look.

"Call off the dogs….I need you to get the boys to quit following me everywhere I go."

"OH. OH!" Dad exclaimed, nodding his head and clearing his throat as relief washed over everyone in the room.

"Sweet Jesus." Collin murmured.

"This is just not helping my blood pressure." Seth whined, throwing his face into his hands. Adam and I exchanged confused glances, my brother shrugging at me before returning to his food.

"Why would you want me to do that?" Dad asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Cause it makes it look like she has no other friends." Embry piped up, smirking at me.

"Like you're one to talk." I shot, throwing a grape at him. He caught it effortlessly in his mouth, winking at me.

"Don't be such an Ice Queen."

"Don't be such a tool."

"ME? A tool? Never."

"The more you talk, the less I like you."

"Ouch."

"You say that an awful lot for someone who asks for it."

"You two fight like a married couple." Mom murmured, rolling her eyes as she passed Adam the biscuits. Embry laughed as my jaw hit the table.

"I want you to call them off because it's weird."

"Arbor, be nice."

"Come on, Mom, you can't say it's not odd having a wild pack of teenage boys storm into your house every day."

"Been there, done that." Mom muttered. I shot her a look. "You could hear that?"

"Why is everyone so surprised that I can hear? You're all allowed to be 130 degrees and 7 feet tall!"

"We're boys. We're better than you."

"Do you ever shut up?" I cried, throwing more food at Embry, who laughed at my frustration.

"You're cute when you're mad."

"I'm always cute."

"Alright, so ya got me on that one…"

"Ugh, whatever," I scoffed, turning back to Dad who was watching us in amusement. "Daddy, please. I can't live the rest of my life with a group of muscly teenage boys following me everywhere I go."

"You think I'm muscular?"

"OH. MY. GOD." Adam yelled, swatting at Embry.

"She's right, Sam. She can't live with a _group _of muscular teenage boys following her around." Mom murmured, her eyes flickering to me and Embry. I narrowed my eyes, raising an eyebrow at her. Dad snapped his head towards Embry, who was now mid-slap fight with my youngest brother. The two of them were swatting at each other frantically, Adam falling backwards in his chair.

"Okay, I can live with that. The boys are to stop following you around," Dad ordered, nodding his head.

"Oh, Dad! Thank you so much, thank you-"

"As long as Embry does."

"I'm sorry what?"

"You heard me."

"You've got to be kidding."

"Nope. He'll keep you tied down."

"You mean the way they do in an insane asylum?"

"He's not _that _bad," Dad tried, wincing as Embry broke the chair he was sitting in, swearing. "Okay, so he's a little rough around the edges…."

"Rough? He's beyond rough, Dad. He's the cluster of rocks you see before you go cliff diving."

"You are just a mean, mean person." Embry cried, swinging another chair up to the table and straddling it, his faces inches away from mine.

"You are just a hot, hot mess."

"This is perfect!" Dad smiled, chowing down on the rest of his dinner.

I shot Embry one last glare before turning to my own plate, my appetite suddenly diminishing. I couldn't shake the excited feeling burning in my stomach, no matter how badly I wanted to. Spending all of my free time with Embry? _Oh hell no, do NOT go there,_ a little voice in my head ordered, scolding me for my feelings. I rolled my eyes, sinking in the back of my chair as my new best friend munched happily next to me.


	7. Friends Come In Handy

Embry's lullaby was humming in my ear when I woke up again. I opened my eyes and rolled over, peering at him as he sat outside the window, nestled against the roof as if he'd made himself a home.

"What are you doing?" I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

"Taking you to school." He stated, swinging himself through the window and setting the guitar in my favorite chair. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Adam and Sam already left."

"What do you mean they already left?" I asked loudly, furrowing my brow. "They never leave without me!"

"They do now, kiddo," Embry laughed, sprawling out on my bed. His face turned serious as he caught my expression. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" he asked, suddenly worried as he held me by the shoulders.

"Why'd they leave without me?" I asked, honestly concerned. Embry gave me a confused look.

"You told your Dad you wanted everybody to quit breathing down your back."

"I said I wanted the _Pack boys_ to quit breathing down my back. What does that have to do with my brothers?"

"Uhm. Nothing," Embry shot, standing up and sifting through my drawers. "Here. Put on clothes."

I shot him a look and held up the material he'd handed me: a hot pink mini skirt and a tube top bra.

"Are you trying to say somethi-"

"No, no, for God's sake no." he scrambled, looking for more clothes. I gently pulled him away from my poor dresser, shooting him a look before I searched for my own outfit, settling on a blue plaid shirt with some shorts and flip flips. I pulled my brush off the nightstand, doing a double-take when I saw the clock.

"IT'S 7:45?" I yell-whispered, throwing anything I could at him.

"I wanted you to sleep in!" he cried. "You seemed tired."

"My Mom is going to KILL me, I swear to Go-Oh God. Oh God." I panicked as my parent's bedroom door opened, Mom's footsteps starting to trail up the hall.

"Shh," Embry murmured, crawling out my window. He catapulted himself off the roof as I rushed to the windowsill, popping my head out.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" I whispered as loudly as I could, Mom's footsteps growing closer.

"Jump."

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSA-"

"Do you wanna be grounded for the rest of your life?"

I bit my lip and straddled the window-sill, sliding down the roof slowly until I got to the gutter, my bedroom door creaking as Mom poked her head in.

"Jump!" Embry called softly, waving his hands at me. I pushed away from the roof, falling into his arms perfectly, a blush spreading over my cheeks as his hot lips brushed my forehead, his hand lacing itself in mine as he led us to his silver Charger. We giggled for a moment at our barely-manageable escape, Embry rolling down the windows so the wind could whip my hair wildly around my face.

"Alright, alright…so that was cool," I admitted, flashing him a smile. He laughed harder, nodding in agreement. "Maybe this won't be _that _bad."

"Is that a flicker of hope I'm detecting?" Embry teased, raising an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes but kept smiling anyways. "What makes you think I'm any less annoying than the others?"he asked.

"Oh trust me, I _know _you're just as annoying, if not worse. But maybe after today I assumed we'd be getting in trouble _together, _instead of you hovering 24/7 and keeping me from getting into it myself."

"Whoa, whoa, you're gettin' a little crazy there Smalls."

"Where did that come from anyway?"

"What did what come from?"

"Smalls."

"It's your nickname."

"Since when?"

"Since I gave it to you. Cause you're small. Why, do you not like it?"

"It's better than Kitty."

"Kitty's cute."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"How'd you get that one?"

"I'm the only one able to sneak past my Dad, which seems to be some amazing feat that no one else has reached yet."

"You can sneak past your Dad?"

"Is that a surprise?"

"You're Dad just has really, really, really, really…_really _good hearing."

"So do the rest of us." I murmured to myself, listening in on a humming bird a quarter of a mile away. Embry raised his eyebrows at me, but I waved him off, staring out the window.

"I'm serious, if you can sneak past Sam, you can sneak past anybody. No wonder I can never hear you.."

We pulled into the La Push High parking lot, the pavement buzzing with students as usual. I tried to ignore the glare shot towards Embry and I as we climbed out of the Charger, people staring at the odd duo.

"We're famous." Embry sighed, glancing at all of the staring, whispering students.

"Weren't we always?"

I started making my way to the Pack boys and my brothers, Embry's large hand catching me in the torso and steering me in front of him. I whirled, shooting him a look.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Why don't you go inside?" Embry asked softly, more of a gentle command than a suggestion. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why would I do that?"

"How about you just do it…" Embry said gently again, giving me a pleading smile. "Trust me." He murmured. I shifted my weight between both feet before turning on my heels and heading into the school, the hot air washing over me as I opened the large double doors.

Eli jogged up to me, waving, a huge grin plastered on his bandaged face.

"How's it look?" he smiled. "They finally let me out of the hospital yesterday.

"Jeez, kid, nearly tore your face in half."

"Not that it makes me any less pretty." He cheesed, beaming at me. I followed his gaze as he shot a look over my head. Eli was staring at the Pack boys, my brother amongst the lot of them.

"What?"

"You're brother's been hanging out with them a lot lately." He murmured, concern etched into his expression.

"Yeah, I supposed. What's wrong, mad your boyfriend isn't around to tease you all the time now?" I joked.

"I gotta tell you something." Eli murmured, steering me into the school. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh God, you really _are_ gay for Sam, aren't you?"

"No!" Eli hissed, shooting me a look as I laughed at him. He led me into one of the science rooms and locked the door behind him, throwing his backpack onto the table in front of me as I took a seat. I kicked my feet up and sighed in exasperation as he fumbled through his backpack, taking out paper after paper.

"We're gonna be late." I pouted. Eli waved me off, throwing the stack in front of me. "What the hell is this?"

"What you saw the other day. It wasn't a dream."

I practically tore my legs off sitting up in my seat, sifting through the papers as fast as I could. Hundreds of pictures containing various werewolves scanned the pages, stories and legends littering each and every one of them. Eli smiled, knowing he'd caught my attention.

"What the hell is this?"

"Children of the Moon," Eli smiled, sliding several select papers in front of me. "There's thousands of Quileute legends about them."

"You're kidding. You mean that crap about the third wife and stuff?"

"I know, I know, it all sounds ridiculous okay, but it's real. Kitty, if what you saw was real…then you witnessed it. You've seen one."

"Eli this stuff is just legend," I breathed, still staring at the paper. I was trying to convince myself that I was wrong, that this didn't fit perfectly with what I'd seen. "There's no way that it's real."

"Did you really see what you saw or not?" Eli pressed, leaning on the table so that his face was inches away from mine, his eyes glinting.

"Yeah, I know I did!" I defended immediately.

"Then it's real, Kit. It's real and your brother's a part of it."

"What does Sam have to do with this?" I cried quietly, immediately shielding my brother.

"They travel in Packs, Arbor. That's how they defend the land, there's no way a wolf can travel alone. Living that type of life in solitude is too painful, that's why they have brothers. Mates. To help them fight and help them keep a sense of family."

"There's no wa-"

"The tattoo? The sudden growth spurt? When was the last time Sam talked to anyone outside of your family?" Eli demanded, raising an eyebrow. My jaw hit the floor. He was right. Everything pointed to this, no matter how far-fetched it seemed. Either that, or my mental disability was contagious and Eli had caught it. I pictured my brother running wild in the forest, thinking back on the old tribe legends. The cut-off shorts, the late nights, the muscles…

"Eli, there's only one thing can activate the gene in a Quileute's body," I murmured, looking up at him. "Vampires."

The door flew open, Embry standing in the entryway angrily as Eli and I scrambled to our feet, shoving the papers out of sight.

"What's going on?" Embry challenged, staring directly at Eli.

"Nothing you need worry about." Eli murmured, glaring. My eyes flickered between the two boys for a moment before I slid in front of Eli, Embry's expression shifting sadly as if I was choosing sides.

"Nothing's wrong, Embry. He was just showing me some notes. Chem homework." I lied, knowing he didn't buy it. Embry opened his mouth to say something but then furrowed his brow, his ear twitching slightly as he leaned in towards me subtly.

"We should go." He said icily, grabbing my hand before I could protest. I shot Eli an apologetic look before being flung out the door, Embry's hands hot on my waist as he steered me towards class.

I spent the rest of the day wondering if my brother was a werewolf, like any teenager did during school. Sam? A werewolf? A child of the moon? How could one tell unless he flat out told you? How could my sweet, mellow, oldest brother be raging around the forest as a giant dog during weeknights? And if Sam was a wolf, if everything in the stories was true, then so was Embry. My strong, handsome teenage dream was actually a giant, ferocious beast. Just my luck. I spent all of Study Hall in the library, Google becoming my new best friend as I read everything from here to East Jesus about "The Wolves". They did travel in Packs. They did have a never-ending feud with vampires, and if the Quileute legends were true….my Dad was the Alpha.

"What's wrong?" Embry asked, sliding into the seat next to me. I clicked furiously at the close button, nearly jumping out of my skin.

"Just, ahh. Just studying." I lied, my arrhythmia kicking in. I needed to start taking my medicine again. Embry's ears pricked up like they had earlier that morning, his eyes locking on mine. "What?"

"Something's wrong with your heart." He murmured almost silently. My jaw hit the floor. Nobody knew about my heart problems. Nobody except Sam, Adam, Mom, and Dad. I never told a friend, never told a teacher, nobody for three reasons.

The second they found out, I'd be treated more royally than I was to begin with, and that sound absolutely horrid to me.

Heart problems meant coaches would be more than hesitant to let me onto any team I tried out for. Sports was the only thing that kept me sane when I was expected to dress like a Queen and say the right things every day.

Half the time, it was easy to ignore. Sometimes it felt like if my heart _didn't _flutter awkwardly on occasion, I'd be missing a part of me.

I shook my head furiously, shoving all my books and standing as Embry grabbed hold of my wrist, his heat shooting up my arm and through my body soothingly.

"I won't tell," he murmured. "Not as long as you're careful. Just promise me you're taking care of it."

"Of course I am." I said softly, staring down at him.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Where are you going?" he asked, standing as I moved farther away.

"Class…"

"Oh. Can I walk you?"

"You walk me every other time, why start asking now?" I teased, poking him. He smiled broadly at me, opening his mouth to say something when Sam called him from across the library, worry etched into his face. I shot Embry a look, but he only smiled apologetically before kissing me on the forehead and running off with my brother.

"You're dating the Embry kid?" I jumped for the second time that day, nearly punching the loud girl in the face. She backed away in the knick of time, raising her hands in defense.

"Sorry, sorry," I murmured, laughing. "You scared the hell out of me. And no, I'm not dating him. He's my brother's friend. Over protective."

"Ugh, I know the feeling," she groaned, walking beside me. "I have brothers. Three, all older." I nearly winced, causing us both to laugh.

"Jeez, and I thought I had it bad."

"From what I hear, Adam and Sam are a handful all on their own." She teased, her blonde curls bouncing along her shoulders. Her bright blue eyes were sparkling, like she was automatically ready for an adventure, and I liked her immediately.

"Adam? Yes. Sam, nah. He's the calmer of the two."

"Adam? He's hilarious!" she smiled, holding her hand out awkwardly over her books as we turned into French. "Melissa, by the way."

"Arbor." I smiled, taking it.

"Oh, we all know who you are," she said slyly, me raising an eyebrow at her. "You're one of the prettiest things we've seen in a while."

"I'm new." I corrected humbly.

"You're hot, and they never stop staring at you." She laughed, pointing towards the football team boys as they crossed the door. I rolled my eyes and crumpled up a paper ball, throwing it at her when a short, pale, red-haired girl slumped into the seat behind me, pouting.

"What's wrong?" Melissa asked, poking her with her pencil.

"Quil Ateara is taken." She whined, tossing her head back. I laughed, both of them looking at me confusedly.

"Sorry," I giggled. "Quil's just so awkward. I could never look at him like that."

"What? He's gorgeous!"

"He's a total fruitcake." I argued, rolling my eyes.

"Alright, alright, so he has a tendency to trip over things," she muttered. "He's still pretty."

Melissa and I rolled our eyes in sync, turning back in our seats. So it was official. I'd made my first girl friends of La Push.


	8. Flash Flood

***When Arbor's ear starts twitching in the woods*(Kick Ass score-The Battle) *just put it on repeat until the chapter is over from that point***

* * *

><p>I should've known it was gonna be a rough day, just for the simple fact that it started with me falling out of bed and knocking over the dresser. Adam poked his head in the door and shot me a look as I writhed beneath the heavy wood, whining like a dying whale.<p>

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Extreme couponing," I choked. "Now get this thing off me."

"I thought you were just as strong as the rest of us." Adam mocked, putting his hands on his hips. I hissed at him, the noise building in my throat before I could stop it as I swiped at his leg. Adam's eyes grew wide, and he immediately started pushing the heavy vanity off me.

"Move, move." Embry ordered, nearly tossing my brother halfway across the room before picking up the dresser with one hand. I gasped dramatically and crawled away from the scene on all fours.

"What the hell are you doing home, anyways?" I asked, shooting my brother a look. "You guys have left for school without me for the past two weeks."

"Ahh…" Adam took on a guilty look. "Mom doesn't exactly know I'm here-"

"She does now."

"KITTY!" Adam yelled as I catapulted myself across the bed, ready to fly down the hallway when my brother grabbed me by the back of the shorts.

"Watch it." Embry reminded him nonchalantly, flipping through a magazine as Adam dangled me off the ground, swatting at me frantically.

"Put me down!" I ordered, slapping him.

"No, no, NO, YOU'RE GONNA TELL MOM ON ME."

"THEN TELL ME WHY YOU'RE HOME!"

"Fine!" Adam whined, nearly dropping me on my face. Embry growled at him, but he ignored the sound, plopping down on the carpet and throwing his face in his hands. "I feel like butt lately."

"You look like it."

"I'M SERIOUS, ARBOR," He cried, throwing his hands up and falling backwards. He lay sprawled out on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling as I laid down next to him. "I always feel like I'm looking over my shoulder. I'm jumpy all the time, I can't quit eating-"

"Like that's unusual."

"Arbor," Adam gave me a flat look, a sign he was serious. I frowned, pushing his hair out of his face. "And…there's something else I have to tell you."

"What?"

"Later." He murmured, his eyes flickering to Embry. I furrowed my brow at him but he turned away from me, jumping to his feet again. "Anyway, you promised to keep quiet as long as I told you why I was still here, so by Scout's Honor you gotta keep your mouth shut."

"Yeah, yeah." I grumbled as he helped me to my feet.

"Why don't you skip too? It'll do you some good."

"Do me some good?"

"Come on, Kitty. Anybody with eyes knows you've been obsessing over Sam since the day in the kitchen."

"I've been obsessed with _all _the Pack boys since the day in the kitchen."

"What do you mean all of them?" Embry cried, frowning. Adam shot him a look. I stuck my bottom lip out in a mock pout, tossing a shoe at him as he shot me a grin.

"Come on Embry, you know you're the only one for me." I smiled, winking. Embry's face lit up, his cheeks burning bright red.

"You guys are gross." Adam muttered, rolling his eyes. "You skippin' or not?"

"Sure, I'll come with you-"

"Nope." Adam cut off, shaking his head.

"What? Why?" I whined, shoving him.

"Because I already told you, I need Adam time."

"So you're gonna spend all day in your room whacking off?"

"HEY!" Adam shouted, his face turning hot. "THAT IS MY SPECIAL ALONE TIME, ALRIGHT?"

"Mhmm, yeah alright."

"DAD SAID EVERYBODY DOES I-"

"OKAY, OKAY, ENOUGH." I shouted, pushing him out the door.

I turned and leaned against the wood, Embry laughing hysterically. I shot him a look, pulling on my Air Maxes when he raised an eyebrow at me.

"What are you doing?"

"_I _am going for a run."

"Good, I haven't worked out in a while."

"No, no, no, no, no-"

"Smalls, we made a deal. I follow you so the Pack boys don't."

"And you've been breathing down my neck just as badly as they have."

"What? Me? Never."

"Two days ago you nearly strangled someone for sneezing on me."

"He could've gotten you sick."

"Please, Embry?" I whined, sticking my bottom lip out.

"No, nu uh, don't do that."

"Do what?" I asked innocently, batting my eyelashes at him. Embry rolled his eyes, walking past me.

"_That," _he groaned, pointing to my eyes. "You're doing the cute face and I can't..."

"Can't what?"

"I can't say no!" he cried, throwing his hands up. "Come on, Kitty. Can't you just stay with me?" The tone of his voice made me want to say yes 2345023454235 times plus one, but I couldn't stand never being by myself. I had a hidden agenda while trying to get out of the house, and it needed to be fulfilled.

"I'll only be an hour," I promised, poking his nose as he pouted. "One hour and I'll meet you at school."

"ONE. ONE hour, Kitty and I'll be waiting HERE."

"Thank you!" I smiled triumphantly, kissing him on the forehead before skipping down the steps and out the door.

The wind stung against my cheeks but I pushed forward, the trees rushing by behind me.

"Sorry." I murmured as the leaves rustled beneath my feet in protest. My thoughts were racing through my mind, each getting its own special time to be mulled over. Sam was first up. Why'd he go haywire? My once extremely close brother had been leaving me hanging for weeks with barely a 'hello', which was infuriating, seeing as on the nights my arrhythmia kicked in and I could barely sleep, I'd wake up with him next to me, his warm arms constricting but safe. The second he heard me wake in the middle of the night, he'd leave in silence, a kiss on the forehead before shutting the door behind him, and when I'd fall back asleep, I'd wake back up to Embry plucking away by the window. I missed my brother. Badly. Yes, I loved Adam, but Adam was more of an advocate, someone who _helped _me get into trouble, instead of keeping me out of it. I missed having someone I could spill everything to, someone who'd always take my side when I fought with Mom and Dad.

Then there was Embry. My new partner. I almost praised Dad for choosing him to be the one to follow me around-at least he took the job seriously. I hadn't been kidding when I teased him about nearly strangling a kid for me the other day. He was on my back 24/7, the second the bell rang he was at my classroom door, the moment I got out of the shower, he was leaning against the hallway near the bathroom. I could tell you that I was infuriated, bitch for hours about how annoying his presence was, but in reality I'd be lying to the both of us. I didn't want him to leave me alone, I didn't want him to let me breathe for one damn second to be honest, but telling him so could've been catastrophic. In seconds, I could go from the one he has to babysit to the one he's constantly trying to avoid, and the 24/7 protection detail could become the most awkward period in my life. I found myself nearly tripping over a large tree root as pictures of his perfect copper skin and chiseled abs flew through my head. Perhaps a run wasn't the best idea.

The clouds were rumbling overhead, rain splashing fiercely against my skin as a howl erupted through the forest, reminding me of the boys. Since when did I care about Embry and the Pack kids? They were obviously just my Dad's way of keeping his youth or something, just another route for Adam and Sam to make friends in this old yet new town. So why were they so…._large?_ Not even in the physical sense, but in the mental one. They'd become such a huge part of my life within the past weeks that I'd probably feel weird _without _them there, and imagining it sort of put a small knot in the bottom of my stomach that kicked up my arrhythmia.

My thoughts came to a halt as my ear twitched involuntarily. It was violent, like a cat's when a fly is near. I swatted at my face, continuing to run until the twitching got so bad that I couldn't run in a straight line anymore. Something in the bottom of my soul was telling me to listen, telling me to follow it instead of doing whatever I could to stop it. I followed my ear, turning my entire body towards the noise until I focused in on the quick rustle of feet behind me. There was more than one pair, and they were so hurried and ferocious that it was almost like they knew exactly what they were searching for.

A noise built itself in my throat, and as I backed away in horror at the hiss that flew out of my mouth involuntarily, the footsteps picked up. They were now well aware that I knew of their presence. I kicked my feet up behind me, racing to the tallest tree I could find until my nails were digging into its thick bark. I was climbing higher, higher as the footsteps zoomed towards me, three inhumanly beautiful angels making their way into my small patch of forest just as I'd reached the highest branch. Two were women, twins, with dark, silky black waves that hung to their waists and flaming crimson eyes, a man with pale blonde hair accompanying them. My hand flew to my mouth in an attempt to block another hiss that flew past my lips, but it was too late.

Their heads snapped up in immediate sync, one of the women smiling broadly at my figure amongst the leaves. The man was halfway up the tree in half a second, my fumbling fingers too nervous to out-climb him. His fingers dug into my ankle, ripping me down several branches until my other foot came down hard against his face, sending him crashing to the forest floor. I pulled my ankle towards my face, disbelief washing over me as the gashes left by his nails disappeared in seconds, no source for the blood that matted my copper skin.

"She isn't human!" One of the women hissed, throwing herself up against the tree. Wasn't human? What the hell was she talking about?

A ripple of heat spread across my body, every sense sharpening in an instant, my sight going on for miles, the flutter of every bird's wing within 600 feet of me going haywire in my eardrums as they fled for safety-something I couldn't seem to do. The tree groaned underneath the woman's weight, swaying to the left as the trunk disconnected from the thick roots. I scrambled through branch after branch, half of them snapping underneath my body as I grappled for something to hang on to, the twin crawling up the bark and swatting at me like a cat to a fly. I stomped hard on a branch beneath me, sending it flying into her pale body, the man regaining stature from his position on the grass and growling at me ferociously, another hiss flying out of my mouth at the sound.

I couldn't explain what was happening as I hopped from branch to branch with ease, having to jump from one tree to the other at one point to keep from falling to the ground. The man hissed loudly again, stomping his foot against the trunk of the tree, the forest floor rumbling as the bark began to split in half, a deep gash running up the foliage. The tree parted, my half falling to the forest floor in slow motion. I decided my body positions carefully, swinging my legs over to the inner part of my half of the trunk, waiting until it hit the grass to jump to the lowest branch in the next tree.

One of the twins was waiting for me, grabbing my ankle the second it swung next to her and dragging me through the air, shoving me to the ground. I hissed wildly, my body full of unexplainable heat as she crouched over me.

"What are you?" she shrieked demandingly.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" I growled loudly, clamping down on her fingers as they wrapped around my neck. She screamed at my touch, ripping her hand away as I brought my other palm across her face hard, throwing her into a collection of thick roots nearby. Her twin shrieked in fury, crouching into a deadly stance. She ran full-speed in my direction, leaping into the air and drawing her claws before I swung underneath her arm, kicking my ankle across hers and mounting her as she hit the floor, bringing my claws hard across her cheek and my fist against the other side of her face once more, her head rolling off with the sound of crashing metal.

The man ripped at my collar, holding me a good two feet off the ground, my feet kicking wildly through the air.

"Filthy half-breed," He hissed, throwing me against the floor. "Just because you're slightly active doesn't mean you stand a chance."

"Hunting to you is a game." I growled, baring my teeth at him. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled darkly, his fingers tightening against my jugular.

"Tell me, little one. What's your favorite sport?" he asked slyly, his eyes glinting with thirst. I smiled at him, the leech looking at me in confusion.

"Soccer."

My knee came up hard in his groin, and as ice cold and solid as he was, it still hurt him. I scrambled from underneath him, the pouring rain softening the ground beneath me as I clawed my way out of the mud, rain drenching every fiber of my being. I could hear them shrieking behind me as they tried to fix their sister, their footsteps following my own shortly after. I searched for a way out, sprinting towards the open road, Embry's silver Charger knicking the side of my leg as I slid across the tar. My palms came down hard on the hood of his car, my toes digging into the asphalt as the Charger slid me forward a few inches before coming to a halt. I stared in horror, the rain starting to fill the dents my palms had effortlessly left in his hood.

"Move!" I shrieked, throwing open his door as he scrambled into the passenger seat. I sunk behind the wheel, throwing the car into drive as fast as I could, the tires screeching against the sopping wet road as the shrieks of my followers grew closer.

"What the hell are you doing? What happened to you?" Embry demanded, his eyes blazing in fury.

"Driving!"

"ARBOR, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?"

"I WAS RUNNING, I WAS RUNNING AND THESE THINGS CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!" I cried, the car screeching around a sharp turn.

"WHAT THINGS?"

"I DON'T KNOW, THEY WERE WHITE, THEY WERE SUPER WHITE AND THEY PRACTICALLY-"

"WHO TAUGHT YOU TO DRIVE?" Embry shrieked as the car flew over a herd of sharp rocks, bouncing against the road once more fiercely.

"ADAM."

"OH SWEET JESUS WE'RE GOING TO DIE."

"EMBRY I'M NOT KIDDING, THEY WERE-SWEET BALLS!" I screamed, the car jerking right as one of the angels threw herself against Embry's side, hissing in frustration. Embry's face darkened with an anger I'd never seen as the woman scratched and hissed at his window, running alongside the car with her eyes locked on my face.

"You have to let me out!" He demanded, his voice booming.

"YOU'RE A WEREWOLF." I screamed, turning around a bend, the rainwater building in the road. Embry was silent, his face horror struck.

"LET ME OUT OF THE CAR, KITTY."

"No! I'm not letting you out of the car, do you see it out there?" I screamed, watching the heavy sheets of rain pound the pavement in front of us. Even with my unexplainable amazing vision, I could barely see three feet in front of me, thick streams of lightening streaking the sky every ten seconds.

"Let me ou-"

"SAM, DAD, MICHAEL, QUIL, ALL OF THEM INCLUDING YOU. YOU'RE A WE-"

"I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME."

"SO THOSE THINGS WERE VA-"

Embry ripped my hands off the steering wheel and jerked it to the left, forcing me to hit the brakes. We screeched to a halt, skidding across the road until the car was turned sideways in the middle of the street. If another car came for a drive, we were fucked. Embry practically threw himself out of the Charger, knee-deep in the water, a loud roar clogging the air around me as I scrambled out of my door, bits of clothing raining down on me like they had at the hospital-only this time I couldn't see. Everything around me was grey and wet, the rain raging like a typhoon in my ear as I tuned in to hisses and the sound of metal being ripped a part. A massive silver being flew past me more than once, growling angrily, ferociously.

"EMBRY!" I screamed, fumbling around against the wet pavement. "EMBRY!"

I winced slightly as a large, round object floated towards my knees in the sea of rainwater. I picked up the cool marble, bringing it inches away from my face before the crimson eyes snapped open. I screamed, tossing it as far away from me as I could, and in the process slipping on the asphalt beneath my feet. My head flew beneath the surface of the water, the Charger groaning in protest as the current begged to wash it away like it was doing to me. I clung to the front left tire, tree trunks and roots and shoes and body pieces rushing by me with the water.

A hot hand wrapped itself around my arm like a hot iron, ripping me from the water fiercely.

"I'm here, I'm here!" Embry called through the rush of the water, pulling me to his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, the both of us looking around frantically for an escape.

"What do we do?" I yelled, my voice barely audible. Embry's dark hair was clinging to his gorgeous face, but now was no time to stare no matter how badly I wanted to. We were caught in one of the lowest places of the forest, with the water level rising by the second. Embry waded through the water, me clinging to his chest before he brought his face level to mine.

"Do something for me, hang on to this, alright? Don't let go. If you do, I'll kill you. Hang on to it!" he demanded, handing me a thick tree root stuck to the side of the muddy bank, kissing me on the forehead. I nodded, wrapping my entire body around it as he waded back towards the Charger, his bare shoulders flexing as he grabbed a pair of shorts from the trunk. I watched in awe as he stood next to the car, using nothing but his hands to push it against the current, shoving it towards the other side of the bank, up and up and up until the Charger was out of the flooding waters and onto the forest floor once more, safe and sound. The rain was raging harder than it ever had, the road now flooded at least a good 6 feet.

Embry started wading back to me, the current harsh against even his large, muscular frame. He dug his nails into the bank around my face, caging me in, freeing me from the current for a moment as I unwound myself from the root.

"Are you okay?" I asked immediately, one arm around his neck. He nodded furiously, and I could feel his feet slipping against the asphalt as the current's weight shoved against him.

"Come on, you're close, baby. Come on, keep coming." He called, his voice soothing in even this chaotic situation. I tugged on the root softly, my arm too twisted in its thick fibers to be free.

"Embry…I….-tug, tug- I can't…-tug-" the root ripped free, throwing Embry off his footing and sending us both crashing to the soaked asphalt, the current shoving us downstream immediately.

My head came up first, swallowing a large gulp of dirty water as I screamed Embry's name, fumbling for the hot boy in the water, unable to find him. I let myself sink beneath the surface as the water took us around the bend of the road, stretching my body out so that any part of Embry could find it. I shot my head over the surface once I needed air, Embry's dark mass of hair following only inches away seconds later. Our bodies intertwined, the water boiling around us between our ridiculous heat. Embry dug his fist into the muddy bank.

I scrambled away from him, digging my own nails into the marsh. My body was shoved against his, making his own trek up the marsh ten times harder than it needed to be, carrying the weight of me and the current both.

"Don't stop!" I yelled as we pulled ourselves up through the dirt, my arms aching for a rest. Embry did the exact opposite of what I told him, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me in between his chest and the mud before digging his fist into the marsh again. He started climbing once more, using his legs and arms to barricade me against the sloppy dirt, pulling me up at the same time as him. I crawled through the mud underneath him, trying to carry as much of my own weight as I could, my arrhythmia having kicked in long ago. The water was raging, screeching at us to come with it, clawing at our bodies, roots tearing skin, blood and dirt all mixed into the same current.

Embry yanked us up the last few inches of thick marsh, hovering over my back the second we were free from the water. I clung to his forearms as they rested in the mud, leaning my head in the crook of his elbow, his thick hair brushing my neck, his breath washing over the spot in between my shoulder blades. Our heavy breathing was finally audible, Embry falling to his side next to me with one arm falling against my back. I looked over at him, the both of us laughing lightly, covered in mud.

"They never said you'd be _this _hard to handle." He sighed heavily, smirking.

"It's your fault thinking I was able to handle at all." I breathed, staring up at the canvas of trees as water dripped from every part of my body.


	9. Knowing Half is Better Than Knowing None

Dad shot out of his seat the second I strolled through the door the next morning, Sam and Adam following suit.

"Where the hell were you?" Sam demanded, burying his face in my hair as he constricted me in his arms. I nestled myself in my brother's chest, inhaling his scent but longing to be back with my hand in Embry's, the way we'd walked to the house.

"We gotta talk." I said softly, staring up at him and then turning my eyes to Dad. He already knew I knew, there was no way he didn't. He pursed his lips and nodded softly, Adam shooting us both a look. Embry pulled me gently away from my brother, holding me against him. Dad didn't like it, growling, but the one that slipped past my lips in response shook him silent, all of them staring at me wide-eyed.

"Sorry," I murmured awkwardly. "Haven't figured out how to control that yet."

They were all huddled around the dining table-Leah, Seth, Collin, Michael, Jacob, Jared, Billy Black, Kim Thail, Ness, Quil-everybody who'd come looking for me, including my own immediate family who was sitting together, closest to me as I stood in front of them all with Embry at my side.

"I was attacked," I started softly, staring at my father. "They were pale, cold…the twins had crimson red eyes, the man's were black." Dad was staring at me, Mom's eyes widening the further on I went into my story.

"They should've killed her, Sam." Embry stated, Dad growling at the suggestion.

"He's right. They should have. By the time I'd fought them off enough to run, the roads were starting to flood."

Mom gasped, knowing full-well that the roads were at least 3 feet below the forest floor, a perfect canyon of death for anyone caught in a storm.

"I almost ran the kid over," Embry scoffed, rolling his eyes. "She stopped the car with her bare hands."

"You're bluffing." Sam murmured.

"There's dents in the hood, buddy." Embry countered, shooting him a look. Leah raised her eyebrow, seemingly impressed.

"We got caught in the flood and at one point Embry was able to get me across the road to a thick root, told me to hang on to it for safety. I watched him shove a 700 pound Charger up a forest bank, by himself."

Dad grumbled something unintelligible and clenched his fist for a moment.

"You two could've died." Mom whimpered, burying her face in her hands. I kneeled down in front of her, laying my head in her lap.

"We didn't Mama. We're here now, but only for reasons you all can give me." I whispered. She looked at me, kissing the top of my forehead and running her hands through my hair.

"Okay," she said softly. "Okay. Sam," she sniffled, wiping her face and looking to my Dad. "Sam it's time to tell her."

My Dad lifted me onto his lap, kissing me on the cheek.

"There's not much you don't already know, Kitty." He laughed softly.

"So the werewolves, the legends and stuff. It's real?" I asked. Dad nodded as I turned to Sam. "And you're..?"

"Sorry, kiddo. I had to be an ass for a while until you found out. We were trying to hold out as long as possible. It was safest that way."

"Yeah, well," I muttered, staring at my fingers. "No more ass-like behavior from you."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Sam smiled, and it felt like for the first time in weeks I had my brother back.

"What about me?" Adam piped up, playing with his thumbs. We all looked at him as his face grew hot. "Am I ever going to…"

"You can never tell, son. Never. Sometimes it never happens, sometimes it does all too often."

"But if Sam and Kitty are both showing signs, then how come-"

"Kitty?" Leah piped up, furrowing her eyebrows. "What do you mean Kitty's showing signs?"

"In the forest, I shouldn't have been able to fight them off…but I was. It was like the sun shoved itself in my heart, everything got so hot and I-"

"Did you phase?" Dad demanded, his eyes fearful.

"No. Should I have?"

"Ever since Leah, we never ruled out the possibility." He murmured honestly.

"I didn't change. It was more of a…sharpening. Like my entire body was conditioned a hundred times over. I could hear everything, I could see everything. Hell, I could _smell _them and let me just say those things smell like shi-"

"Language!" Mom swatted at me before going back to shaking her head.

"They smell bad." I reworded, rolling my eyes.

"At least she knows who to stay away from," Dad grumbled. "Although there's a few of them that are far from the things you found in the forest."

"Like the Cullens?" I asked, everyone shooting me a look.

"How'd you-"

"They smell different from everyone else. And Ness," I smiled, looking towards her as she blushed. "Ness smells like a mix between Dad and Bella."

"And you were never afraid?" Ness asked quietly, Analee running wildly in between the legs of the table. "Ana, settle down." She murmured, pulling the two year old into her lap.

"Afraid?" I laughed. "I thought I was losing my mind. There was no way in hell I was about to share my illusions with everyone else."

"Smart girl." Leah scoffed, rolling her eyes. Embry growled at her, Dad's eyes flickering between the two of us.

"I can't thank you enough," Dad murmured sheepishly, never one to be humble. "I don't know what would've happened to her if you hadn't gotten a hold of her."

"We both know why you shouldn't thank me, Sam. It's what I'm here for."

"How'd she take the news about the Impriahhhh nice weather we're having…." Leah trailed off, Embry shooting her a deadly glare. I raised my eyebrows at them, turning to Dad for answers. He became suddenly fascinated with his fingers, mumbling something about sunshine and a walk on the beach.

"No, no, no, tell me. I thought this proved that keeping secrets was a bad ide-"

"So what now?" Sam demanded, cutting me off.

"No, nu uh, I wanna know what the hell she's talking abo-"

"Language."

"The best thing to do is train her." Jacob shrugged, cutting me off along with Mom.

"No really though, what was Leah talking about?"

"Train her? There's no way in Hell, Jake. Training means there's a chance of her getting into a fight."

"Sam you and I both know that that's a huge possibility."

"We're not dragging her into this."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I cut in, my attention suddenly shifting. "I'm just as much a part of this as any of you guys are."

"Arbor, we aren't arguing about this." Dad ordered, standing from his seat before I caught his arm.

"_Yes _we are," I demanded. "If Sam's a part of it, why can't I be?"

"Because Sam doesn't have a choice."

"Because you're mine?" Embry cut in, staring at me as if I was stupid before an angry expression washed over his face. He crossed his arms and stared out the window before I could say anything, my jaw putting a hole in the floor.

"It's too dangerous, anyways."

"Too dangerous?" I repeated, nearly toppling over Ness's chair to get stand in front of my father. "Dad, you should've seen me out there, I could take on any of them if only I knew how."

"You don't need to-"

"There's gonna come a time when you're not here to protect me," I said, loud and harsh. "What am I supposed to do then? Sit there like a sack of potatoes and get slaughtered?"

Dad was shaking, Sam doing his best not to do the same.

"Is this how you're gonna treat me for the rest of my life? Like a doll?" I asked, studying the both of them.

"Kitty, get away from me." Dad growled, nearly shoving me a foot away. I swatted his hand off of me, trying to get closer.

"Dad?"

"Arbor, move!" Mom demanded, unable to crawl through the heaps of people to get to me. I shot her a confused look, Dad shaking violently as Embry growled in the doorway, Jacob and Adam holding him back as if they were protecting my father. Dad was shaking so badly that the entire room was vibrating, Embry growling louder than I'd ever heard before.

I took a step back, Mom's worried, scarred face coming into view when I connected the dots.

"Mom." I whispered, staring at the long gashes running from her temple down to her elbow. She looked guilty, tears flooding her eyes. She nodded at me gently, Leah's grimace fading for the first time in years as a look of shame replaced it.

"Sam it's your daughter." Mom whispered, placing an arm on his vibrating shoulder. The shaking rose immediately and he stared at me, horror flooding his eyes.

"Do you get it now?" he hissed, pain washing over his face. "Do you get how dangerous we are?"

"You aren't dangerous."

"I'm an animal."

"You're my father." I corrected, stepping closer to him.

"Kitty, mo-"

"You're my father." I repeated, wrapping my arms around his torso. The shaking halted almost seconds later, my father's warm arms shielding me, his lips pressed to the top of my hair.

"I'm not ready to let you do this," He whispered. "Don't make me let you do it, Kitty."

"Dad I-"

"Please, kid. I prayed every day to a God I always had trouble believing in that you'd never have to do this. That none of you would. Please."

I stayed silent against his chest before nodding slowly, lying to the both of us. Everyone in that room new that I'd need to learn to protect myself, whether it was accepted by Daddy or not. If Sam could do it, I could. "Thank you." Dad whispered, kissing my forehead, Embry still growling in the background. Jacob's eyes flickered between the two of us.

"Sam," he murmured, furrowing his eyebrow as he eased his grip on Embry. Dad turned towards Jake, one arm still around me. "If Embry…and Arbor were partnered, then that means he's with me or Quil."

"You or Quil?" I asked, more confused than I'd been in forever. Jacob looked like he was trying to beat around the bush, re-word something so it'd sound different than it actually did.

"You're right," Dad piped up, as if he'd just realized something. "Jake this could be really important if you still want to step down."

"Step down as what? Alpha?" I asked. Everyone in the room shot me yet another look, and I rolled my eyes at all of them.

"Jake smells different too." I huffed.

"What about Embry?" Dad asked, staring at me. I shrugged, staring off into space.

"Embry smells like right after it rains. Like the forest…and a mix between you and the house."

"Safety mechanisms…" Mom murmured, staring at me. "It's how you smell to me, Sam. Like my Dad and our old home."

"But he smells like Jacob, sometimes. And you too, but in a different way."

"Us?"

"He smells…different. Stronger than the rest of you do."

"You think that has to do with the Imp-... thing?" Jake asked. Dad shrugged, never clarifying what the _thing _was.

"No way to be sure, but it doesn't sound like it. I'd have Carlisle take blood from both sides just in case."

"Noooo!" Embry and Quil whined at the same time, shooting looks at each other. I threw my hands into the air, glaring at them.

"Sorry, kid. All in good time." Embry murmured, waltzing out the door with Jacob and Quil, sadness washing over me.

"Do you have to go now?" I blurted out, regretful that it sounded almost like a whine. Embry stopped in his tracks, turning slightly.

"What, you want me around all the sudden?"

"I always want you around," I muttered, forgetting for a second that he could hear me. Embry's expression melted as he smiled adoringly at me. "I just didn't think you had to leave…like nowww…."

Embry closed the distance between us in seconds and had his hands on my waist, his face inches away from mine, cutting me off immediately. I stared at the beautiful boy, reaching a finger up gingerly to trace a cut skimming his jaw.

"You got hurt." I choked out softly, my heart picking up. Mom nearly had to drag Dad and Sam out by their ears, Adam being towed away by Ness and Analee as the rest of the crowd cleared out of the house, murmuring to themselves.

"I'll be alright." Embry murmured, biting his lip. Dear Jesus, was he sexy.

"You'll wind up breaking something if you're not careful, Embry." I warned teasingly as he tried to inch closer, as if closer was even possible…

"I'm always careful. Always gentle." He said slyly, his voice like velvet in my ears. "Maybe if you quit getting into trouble I wouldn't have to risk my safety."

"You wouldn't be half as obsessed with me as you are if I never got into trouble."

"Guilty." Embry whispered, his lips centimeters away from mine. I was being tugged towards him with a thousand steel cables, and they were all screaming to him, _take me apart, take me apart, tear me open, take me apart…_I wanted him to explore me like a map, run over my body with his hands as if he was molding me, use those beautiful lips for good and attack me with them.

There was a shatter that exploded from the downstairs, and immediately Embry and I swore in sync, rushing to the scene. Leah was in a standoff with both of my parents, all of them red in the face as she started shaking violently, screaming at anybody in the room.

"NO, SAM, SHE ISN'T A LITTLE GIRL AND YOU'VE GOT TO ACCEPT THAT."

"YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT MY DAUGHTER IN DANGER BECAUSE OF YOUR BITTER GRUDGES."

"THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU AND EMILY!" Leah shrieked, digging her claws into the couch. Embry shoved me behind him, growling viciously as Leah screamed louder, placing her hands against her temples.

"She hasn't phased in years, Sam. This is gonna hurt her like Hell." Michael rushed, he and Seth tackling her out of the door and dragging her into the forest. Embry caught my shoulder as I tried to run after them, shaking his head viciously when I protested.

"You don't wanna be there when she explodes." He warned. I opened my mouth to say something, jumping as Dad tossed the couch clear across the room. "You're coming with me." Embry ordered, dragging me out of the house as Mom tried desperately to calm down my father. Adam was watching us from his bedroom window, a grimace spread across his face.

"I'll never get used to this…" I murmured to myself, trudging through the mud behind my bodyguard.

I pulled Embry to a halt as a small whimper caught my attention. Turning to the source of the sound, my eyes focused in on the small paprika colored cat whining underneath the Charger, its eyes wide in fear.

"No. No, no, no, no." Embry argued, shaking his head as I made my way to the car, pulling the small kitten from underneath it.

"Come on, come on, Embry! We can name it together. What about Pepper?" I whined, holding it up to my face, it's purring growing loud in my ear.

"No. I will never, ever, ever let you bring that thing into my car."

We drove in silence, Embry pouting behind the wheel as Pepper purred comfortably in my lap.

"I hope they eat that damn thing when we bring it into the house." Embry scowled. I swatted at him, running my fingers through Pepper's fur.

"So they really eat animals?"

"They're vegetarians."

"Mmm. Must be why they're easier on the nose." I mused, Embry raising an eyebrow at me.

"Easier on the nose? I've been around those things for years, Kitty. It never gets easier on the nose."

"They're people too, Em." I murmured, looking at him disapprovingly. He rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine. _They _still smell really bad."

"Yeah, yeah." I said softly, staring through the windshield at the large glass house, incredibly impressed. "Nice digs." I murmured, pulling Pepper onto my shoulder as I got out of the car, Embry walking all the way around it to rest his hand on my lower back and guide me into the house.

I was slow and careful, my nose filled with their scents as the air washed over me, the first one to the door being a short, beautiful woman with long brown hair and big golden eyes.

"You brought a friend." She smiled, pulling me into her arms.

"Hey, Bells." I smiled, something in the pit of my stomach churning, telling me to rip her face off. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ I thought to myself, feeling my expression break for a moment before I repaired it, another smile plastered onto my face in no time. I'd never thought about attacking the Cullen's, never.

"It's natural," a man said smoothly, wrapping himself around Bella. "It's something the wolves are born with. A natural need to ahh….defend." he smiled. I cocked my eyebrow at Edward, smiling.

"You can read minds." I laughed in disbelief, still stroking Pepper. He smiled, nodding his head.

"You've got pretty interesting thoughts, for a 15 year old." He laughed quietly. "I'll admit to have taking a peek more than once on the visits you and Emily have made to our home." I hugged Edward tightly, Pepper mewing in protest as she was crushed between our bodies.

"Looks like you've made a new buddy."

"I found her. I wanna take her home, but I'm not sure she's healthy, ya know? Could you look at her for me?" I asked, handing her to Edward. He took her gingerly, the cat mewing against his cold marble fingers.

Dr. Cullen smiled at us as we walked into his study, Quil, Embry and Jacob all taking their own seats up by the monitors and tubes and what-not.

"You sure you're ready to know, Embry?" Carlisle asked, pulling syringes out of a drawer. Jacob pursed his lips and shrugged, nodding.

"Don't have much of a choice, Doc. If ya know what I mean." Jake murmured, looking out the window where Renesmee and Analee were in plain sight with four year old Andrew, all of them playing in the forest. Carlisle laughed lightly and pricked Quil first. Embry whined, looking away from the needles as I laughed at him quietly.

"I have a question," I piped up, leaning against one of the tables. They all stared at me. "But you guys have to promise not to tell my parents."

"Here we go." Embry grumbled, rolling his eyes. Jake swatted at him and nodded for me to continue.

"Why does Leah hate them?"

The room got incredibly quiet, each of the boys stiffening slightly. Even Dr. Cullen made a short pause in his movements before returning to his work, coughing awkwardly.

"Leah doesn't…_hate _your parents." Quil started.

"Sike." Jake grumbled, Quil shoving him lightly before continuing.

"Leah doesn't hate them, Kitty. There's just…uhmm…"

"Leah and your Dad dated before he met Emily." Embry murmured quietly, staring at me anxiously. My jaw hit the floor, every muscle in my body involuntarily tightening.

"What? What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded, my face twisting up. Leah and Mom were cousins. From what I'd heard, they were practically sisters when they were little.

"Not so excited about the wolves now, are ya?" Quil asked, laughing humorlessly. I frowned at all of them and slumped against the table.

"There's this thing that happens to a wolf after he phases," Embry started, shooting Quil and Jacob awkward glances. "When you phase, _everything _changes. Your body, your mind, even the way you love."

"The way you love?"

"When a wolf phases for the first time, he gains the ability to Imprint."

"The ability." Quil scoffed, Carlisle pricking him in the arm.

"Like I said, _he gains the ability_," Embry repeated icily, shifting in his seat. "Imprinting is like…a claim. A stamp, I suppose. It could be with any girl in the world, anyone."

"What could?" I asked, nervous for the answer, my arrhythmia kicking up. Embry smirked lightly at my flutter for a moment, his facing turning sober once more.

"Your Dad and Leah dated through high school. They loved each other, a ton. Even after Sam phased and didn't tell anybody, causing stress between them, they stayed strong….and then your Mom came to visit from the Makah," he sighed, pausing. "Sam took one look at her and never looked away since. She's his soul mate, his everything. He ended things with Leah, and your Mom tried for months to get them back together, but he wouldn't leave her side, he _couldn't_, and after the….after the accident, she realized that she didn't want anybody there with him but your Dad."

"I don't get how you could just up and leave someone for someone else!" I cried. "I just don't get it!"

"It's like breathing air for the first time," he murmured, drifting off into some faraway place as he stared into my eyes. "Like learning what the warmth of the sun is. She's everything, perfect. It's finding your soul mate, the one girl you were built for. You'll be anything she wants you to be-her friend, her advisor…her boyfriend…" he choked the last bit out awkwardly, leaving my eyes for a moment. "Anything. There's nothing more important on Earth than her. If she's gone, if something happens to her," he continued, his fingers putting dents in the table where he gripped it. "Then there's simply no point in living anymore."

"Why would you say that?" I shot automatically, the words coming out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Because she's all that matters." He shrugged.

"So you're willing to throw your life away for some girl?"

"She isn't _some girl, _Arbor. She's more like-"

"A soul mate."

"Yes."

"Which is exactly what every 17 year old thinks when they're in love."

"It's different from that, it's inhuman."

"It sounds inhuman." I scoffed, rolling my eyes and crossing my arms.

"What's the big deal anyway?" Embry demanded, staring hard at me.

"What about me, Em? What am I supposed to do if some girl decides to toss herself off a cliff and you go A-Wall because of it?"

"Been there, done that…" Jacob grumbled.

"Arbor it isn't something I can help, I just told you I'll do-"

"Whatever she wants you to do, I get it, so technically it's not your fault for being stupid." I glared. Quil laughed quietly, Embry swatting him on the back of the head.

"Why don't you go home?" Embry asked, as if he was trying to regain composure.

"Yeah why don't I?" I mocked, snatching the keys from his pocket and leaving the study, grabbing Pepper off the kitchen counter as Analee watched at her in wonder. "Sorry Love," I murmured, patting the young girl on her curly brown head. "You can come over to visit her anytime."

I slid into the Charger, Pepper purring happily in the passenger seat as I took off back home, the trees dark around me.

*Embry POV*

"And you thought the cat was never gonna ride in your car." Quil teased, clicking his tongue and earning another smack on the back of the head.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered darkly, the doctor sticking me with a needle as Quil rubbed his head and whined. "Never thought I'd Imprint either."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! Just wanted to say thanks for all the love I've been getting for the story so early on! Keep it up! At first I was really worried that the start-off would be too rocky, but thanks to my amazing readers, I've kept strong and refused to give up on Arbor and Embry! And also, just wanted to give another SO to melissa!**


	10. Crazy is Contagious

"Well?" Eli asked as I slid into my seat in History, his eyes wide with excitement. He looked like a nut-bag, to be honest. His blonde hair was somewhat messy, his skin dull and pale while his eyes were red.

"Well...what?"

"Is your brother a werewolf or not?" He demanded. I clamped my hand around his mouth, smiling awkwardly at those who'd turned around to stare at us.

"Are you insane?" I hissed, releasing him.

"Is Embry a Child of the Moon?"

"When was the last time you got some sleep?"

"I mean it!"

"Eli, you showed me those papers a week ago. Have you not stopped looking at them since then?"

"I had this dream. You were in it, Kitty. You were-"

"Going insane, kinda like you are?" I asked, grabbing his hand. "Eli, what's going on with you?"

Eli shook his head, running his hand through his hair. He took several deep breaths before laying his head down on his desk, falling asleep soon after. Melissa tapped my shoulder, nearly stabbing me in the neck with her pencil when I didn't respond.

"WHAT?" I yell-whispered, whirling to face her.

"What the hell is wrong with the wolf-man?" she asked.

"Wolf man?"

"Everybody's been calling him crazy since he lost it after school yesterday."

"Liss, what happened?" I asked, turning to face her completely.

"Okay, so," she started, getting excited. "He was looking for you, of course, everyone is always looking for you," she muttered, slightly suspicious. "Anyways, he was looking for you, and Embry found him in the hallway yelling your name. Nearly snapped him in half, then all these papers came out of his bag about werewolves and stuff. It was ridiculous, really. He was going on and on, calling Embry a fake and a liar, but wasn't brave enough to tell everyone what he was lying or being fake about, ya know? He's been losing it ever since."

"YOU KNOW NOTHING." Eli hissed, suddenly whirling in his chair. I jumped automatically, scooting my desk backwards so forecfully that everyone behind me in our row was shoved against the wall, a kid in the back groaning that his rib hurt and needed to go to the nurse. Liss grabbed my arm protectively, glaring at Eli as he towered over us both.

"Mr. Escalve?"

Eli whipped his head towards the teacher and blinked a few times, then back to me, his face falling as if he'd just realized what he'd done.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, running his hands through his hair. "Sorry. I don't feel good."

"Do you need to go to the nurse?"

"Yeah, please." He said hurriedly, rushing out of the class.

Melissa was still grimacing as our row re-adjusted the desks, finally settling back into place as if Eli had never been there.

"What a creep," she muttered. "I better not have any classes with him next semester."

"Next semester starts in two weeks, Liss. I highly doubt it's too late to switch schedules."

"Yeah, yeah, but see the only thing I care about out of all that you just said is the 'Going to the Zoo' part."

"Going to the zoo?"

"OOOO is that an invitation? Sure, Kitty, I'd love to go!" she cheered, smiling brightly at me. I rolled my eyes, jumping again when Anna nearly leaped over four rows and into the side of my chair.

"Did somebody say we're going to the zoo?" she asked excitedly. The kids behind her were staring at her cock-eyed, the teacher halting the entire lecture so she could finish her piece.

"I guess we are." I laughed, poking her in the nose.

"AHHH fantastic. Friday it is." She smiled. I watched her leap over to her chair again, the lesson resuming as the teacher held an annoyed tone.

"You gonna bring Embry?" Melissa whispered behind me slyly. I rolled my eyes elbowed her subtly, her giggle fit shaking her desk.

"NO, I'm not bringing Embry."

"I mean I'm just asking, seeing as how he showed up at my house the other day and all…"

Ugh. That was something I'd love to forget. When Melissa had invited me and Anna to sleep over two weeks ago, I'd said yes and was more than excited. It was going perfect, I'd managed to convince Embry that I was able to handle myself for one night, and he'd agreed….only to show up at Melissa's door an hour later with an apologetic smile and a tub of double-fudge chocolate ice cream. He'd not only used my weakness against me, but spent the rest of the night with us, carrying me home in the morning.

"Don't remind me." I grumbled.

"He's mad weird, that kid…." Melissa mused, tapping her pencil against her chin. "He acts like his life depends on protecting you or something."

"I guess." I murmured, thinking it over myself. Embry was on my tail all day every day, but wasn't that because my Dad had told him to? If my father was Alpha, his rules had to be obeyed no matter what. But could there have been any chance that he _wanted _to stay with me? That he didn't really mind following me around everywhere I went?


	11. Welcome to the Jungle

I threw my hair up into a ponytail, the unusual sun beating down on my skin as Anna rambled on behind the steering wheel about what we were going to see first.

"….Oh God, and GIRAFFES, we GOTTA see those things…"

"Punch her in her eye," Melissa begged in the backseat, covering her ears. "Please, just shut her the hell up!"

"YOU shut the hell up!"

"I'VE BEEN QUIET THE ENTIRE RIDE!"

"OH YOU MEAN INCLUDING THE HALF HOUR YOU SPENT RECITING THE STORY YOU TELL EVERY TIME WE'RE WITH SOMEONE NEW?"

"WHO DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT LAST CHRISTMAS?"

"ANYBODY WITH A PULSE!"

"MY NANA WORKED HARD ON THAT CAKE."

"THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CARE!"

I laughed lightly, listening to the two of them argue like an old married couple. I'd learned a lot about them, and I'd started feeling that in return, it was only fair to let them know about me. So I did. Sort of. I told them just about everything except the wolf part, and it turned out we'd had a lot in common. Melissa had two siblings, one older sister and a younger brother she nicknamed "Booger." Her favorite color was blue because it matched her eyes, she loved running, boys, her cat, and was ridiculously in love with Adam since the first week of us moving here. She was slightly reserved when it came to strangers, but was alright with people who seemed warm and inviting.

Anna was the exact opposite, which balanced all three of us out. She was an only child, living with her Dad. She hated going outside unless it involved something that excited her-which consisted of cute, fuzzy things that you were allowed to squeeze and/or pet to death (giraffes). She was excited 24/7, and could probably make friends with a rock if you left it in the same room with her long enough.

They were still bickering as we walked through the gate, a sea of people surrounding us, the noise almost unbearable to my newly-defined ears.

"So," Melissa said loudly, whipping out the map. "Where to first?"

"GIRAFFES! OH PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET US SEE THE GIRAFFES!"

"Giraffes are gay."

"YOU'RE GAY." Anna cried, swiping the map from Melissa's hand and taking off.

*Embry*

I strolled in through the front door, Adam shooting me a glare right as I did. I rolled my eyes, knowing full-well that if it hadn't been for him being related to Arbor, I would've choked him by now. Emily breezed by, nearly toppling me over with two laundry baskets in hand, planting a kiss on my cheek before she disappeared into the basement.

"Get the lasagna out of the oven for me, will ya Love?" she called loudly.

"Sure Momma!" I yelled down the steps, moving towards the kitchen. I slipped on the little oven mitts, my palm busting through the first one. I put it down awkwardly, looking around frantically before slipping the pan out of the oven bare-handed.

"Saw that." Sam teased, breezing by me so quickly that I jumped, nearly dropping the damn food. I fumbled for the pan, swearing at the sting it was leaving against my bare palms before finally tossing it onto the counter.

"I hate you." I grumbled, watching the burn marks fade from my skin in a matter of seconds.

"I'm letting you call dibs on my only little sister," he smirked, his cheeks full of muffin. "You have on right to hate me."

"It was gonna happen eventually, with or without your permission."

"Says you." He growled, swatting me across the head. I rolled my eyes, leaning against the kitchen counter when Sam sr. came through the front door, Jacob and both packs behind them. I wrinkled my nose, Dr. Cullen wafting through my nostrils. Sam jr. shot me a look.

"I know, you'll never get used to it." I shuddered, clearing my throat.

Sam sr. patted me on the shoulder, the Pack boys immediately hounding in on the food.

"Watcha doin here?" I asked Dr. Cullen, shaking his hand as Quil slid onto the counter next to me, Sam jr. tossing him a muffin.

"I got your test results back." Carlisle murmured, eying all of us. Quil and I tensed next to each other, and I could only sense Jacob doing the same seeing as he was halfway across the room. Our eyes locked on the vampire all at once, the boys all turning with their mouths full of food.

Carlisle cleared his throat awkwardly, and I suddenly felt bad for him. He was in a rough position, finally delivering silence to an argument that had been stirring up La Push ever since I'd moved here with my Mom. The people here had never been able to get over the question of who my father was, as if it were any of their business. It'd only taken a day and a half for the news to spread that there was no possible way for Sam to be my half-brother, the reason being my Imprinting on Arbor (Only a select few knew the second half). It left us with the worst two options, I was either Jacob's or Quil's, which was shit news because at least Sam's dad had already had a bad track record-he'd left Sam and his Mom when Sam was too little to recount his ABC's. Having Jacob or Quil as a brother meant one of their father's had cheated on their Mom's.

"You better not be eating that lasagna!" Emily called from the basement, all the boys freezing, food falling out of their mouths and hands before they all moved at once-fleeing the kitchen before she had a chance to walk in. I heard her gasping as she walked up the stairs seconds later, blocking their path to the door.

The five of us left in the kitchen chuckled softly for the next few minutes, Emily's wrath being raged upon the Pack. It was a good thing to laugh while we still could, because as soon as word broke about my father, Hell was going to be let loose on _somebody._ I think that killed me the most about living in a small town. Somebody always had to pay. No matter what it was, no matter who it had to deal with, _someone _had to suffer in the end, and that was the worst part.

"Are you sure you're ready to hear this?" The doctor asked me, clasping his hands. I nodded, Quil and Jacob bobbing their heads up and down in sync with mine. We needed to know. We needed to know now. The doctor sighed deeply and pursed his lips, nodding to us.

"Alright. Embry, it's about time you know."

* * *

><p><strong>*Arbor POV*<strong>

Anna was superhuman. In one hour, she'd managed to drag us from East to West, going from the giraffes to the shark tanks in a matter of what felt like minutes. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, kicking my feet up as we licked at our ice creams happily.

"…and they were so cute, they were the best things ever, I swear I just about died, I…"

"The girl never quits talking," Melissa sighed, raising her eyebrows. "But that's why we love her." I nodded in agreement, nudging Anna with my toe. She smiled at me mid-rant, continuing only seconds later.

"I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong with Eli." I murmured, staring at my ice cream as it melted down the cone.

"What? The kid's weird."

"But he's not," I defended. "That's the thing. He was perfectly normal when I first got here, Liss. Something had to have happened."

"Like what?"

"That's another thing. I have no idea."

"What if he really thinks your brother's a werewolf?"

"Wouldn't be too farfetched." I muttered, too low for her to make out the words.

"Adam, a werewolf." She laughed quietly.

"Sam." I corrected automatically, licking at my ice cream nonchalantly.

"What?" she asked, staring at me. My eyes flickered to her, my jaw hitting the floor.

"If either was gonna be a wolf, it'd be Sam." I laughed nervously.

"Why do you say that?" Liss asked, raising an eyebrow. _Fuck…_

"He's moody enough for it!" I sighed sarcastically, trying to mimic the attitude I'd seen played off in teen movies. Liss rolled her eyes and nodded her head as if she understood.

"I hate it when my brother's an ass." She grumbled. I nodded, popping the rest of my ice cream cone and standing up, stretching.

"I gotta pee." I said flatly, asking them if they wanted anything from the concession stand. They both murmured a 'no' between happily munching on their snacks.

I stopped dead in my tracks, halfway up the hill, a scent catching my nose on fire. I whirled around, searching for its source but finding none before my body went warm again, feeling like I could melt into a puddle. I waved it off as hormones changing my body, slipping into the bathroom quietly. There was a group of women chattering amongst themselves while I was in the stall, each of them going on about how much they loved their husbands. Husband. Husband, husband, husband. The word rolled around in my head like cotton candy, picking up every thought inside and making it irrelevant. Who was I going to marry?

There was nobody that I felt could convince me to spend the rest of my life with them. Of course I'd had boyfriends before, and they were all equally fun to play with, but I could never see myself actually loving somebody to the point of wanting to spend forever with them…and forever was a _really _long time. I stared into the mirror, my black waves frizzing in their pony tail, a few of them framing my face. Who would stay with me for that long? Who would _want _to? I got boring to look at after a while. Who wouldn't want to move on to something new?

I dried my hands, sighing before cracking the door open to leave, someone catching my eye immediately. I slammed the door closed right away, seething. _You've got to be joking,_ I growled silently, baring my teeth. A few girls shot me looks before leaving the bathroom as I collected myself. I walked out into the crowd, rounding the concession stand and trudging into a back alley before slipping behind a fence. My follower rounded the corner. I attacked Embry the second he walked by, shoving him into the showering room and locking us into one of the stalls.

"Are you insane?" I hissed, our chests brushing as the shower was so narrow. Embry rolled his eyes, trying to run his fingers through his hair but brushing my ribs instead. Our yell-whispers were nothing but a continuous hissing to anyone who walked by.

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered blushing. "You ask me that question every damn da-"

"Because you never answer! ARE. YOU. INSANE?"

"What the hell did I-"

"You followed me to the _Zoo, _Embry. THE ZOO. WHAT'S WRONG, AFRAID A KOALA BEAR'S GONNA HUMP ME TO DEATH?"

"You're being a little melodramatic."

"MELODRAMATIC? YOU FOLLOWED ME TO THE ZOO. THE ZOOOOOOOOO!"

"God, it just smells like absolute ass in here, how the hell do you stand all these anima-"

"BECAUSE IT'S A ZOO, EMBRY. ONE YOU FOLLOWED ME TO."

"YES, I'M AWARE I FOLLOWED YOU TO THE GOD DAMN-" he paused, sighing. "Yes, Kitty, I know. I followed you to the Zoo. I'm sorry."

"Then why'd you do it?"

"I just had a bad feeling."

"Whatever."

"I gotta tell you something."

"I don't care. You followed me to the Zoo."

"I HAD A BAD FEELING."

"Do you have a bad feeling every day? Cause you follow me everywhere I go."

"Of course I do, what am I supposed to do if something happens to you?"

"Run of to your Imprint." I grouched, trying to cross my arms. Embry held them down against the stall wall, suddenly closer to me than he was before.

"Jealous?" he asked slyly, his breath washing over me. I struggled against his hold, faltering under his strength easily. He was so close, so yummy, his scent washing over me like a drug. Everything in my body halted, deciding to answer to him and only him. If he wanted me to move, I would. Wanted me to stay put, I wasn't going ANYWHERE. The electricity between us was ridiculous, our heats strengthening that of the other, I was nearly sweating within seconds of him being close to me, warmth spreading over my entire body."Be careful, Kitty. You might break something if you're not careful."

"Mocking me now?"

"Always." He murmured, his top lip brushing mine for a split second before the stall next to us slammed closed, the both of us jumping a part.

"You followed me to the Zoo." I hissed in spite, half because of what he actually did and half because he'd gotten me to let my guard down in a matter of seconds with a few good words.

"Oh you are so bitter." He whined. I rolled my eyes, shoving at him until I was free enough to get out of the stall.

Melissa raised her eyebrows at me as I walked back to them, Embry in tow.

"You were gone for a while there, kiddo….aaaaaand you brought a friend…" she said slyly. I plastered a fake smile onto my face and patted Embry on the shoulder a little harder than necessary.

"WELL, ya know Embry here. Quite the chatterbox."

"And you got here how?"

"We just met up, ya know. Started talking away." I lied, still smiling.

"She couldn't resist saying hi." Embry cheesed, nudging me with his elbow.

"Not that he's staying," I growled through my smile. "It's about time for you to be heading home, isn't it Em?"

Embry stared down at me, rolling his eyes before pulling me a few feet away from the girls, his dark eyes boring into mine.

"Are you sure you're okay here without me?" he asked quietly, all joking aside. I nodded, kissing his shoulder before thinking twice about it.

"I'm fine." I murmured as he hugged me tightly, his lips brushing the top of my hair. I watched him disappear into the crowd, cold washing over me. Embry looked back at least twenty times, each and every one of them strengthening my need to run after him.

"That's a man that takes his job seriously." Anna mused, her stuffed giraffe pressed against her chest. I rolled my eyes and smiled at them.

"Where next?" I asked, grabbing my sintch-sack off the bench and slinging it over my shoulders as Melissa fumbled for her map.

"Mmm, the big-cat house!" She cheered, nearly shoving the rest of her ice cream down her throat and grabbing her bag. Anna snatched my hand up, the three of us sprinting towards the jungle cats like our lives depended on it.

Anna swung the large glass doors open, cool air washing over our faces, the sweat on my forehead turning icy. There were less people in this building, although it was huge. People pressed their noses against the glass, a small boy leaning over the thick railing that separated the humans from the four foot deep tiger cage below. Anna pulled us towards one of the biggest tanks in the building first, leaning down to read the label.

"Jaguar." She murmured, searching frantically for it within the habitat.

"Found it!" Melissa called, snapping picture after picture. The Jaguar growled loudly, Melissa nearly jumping out of her skin before she shot it a dirty look. "YOU WANNA GO? YOU WANNA FIGHT ME HOMBRE?" She yelled frantically, waving her camera at the giant cat while Anna dragged her off to a different cage. "COME ON PACO, I'LL MESS YOU UP." She screamed, Anna chanting quietly to her in French as she pulled her towwards the cheetahs.

I started walking away, stopping dead in my tracks as a low humming noise caught my ear. I turned back to the cage, the black cat slinking from its perch on the faulty rocks and slumping next to the plexi-glass, it's nose leaving trails of fog. Its paw came up against the glass several times, the purring growing louder as I drew in closer.

"I know, buddy. I don't want you in there anymore than you do." I said softly. The jaguar stared at me for a long moment, my own low, rumbling noise growing in my throat when the cat's head snapped to the left, suddenly snarling and hissing violently.

I backed away from the cage quickly, everyone else in the building fleeing as the animals went absolutely wild. They were screeching, clawing, batting, hissing with such fury that you would've thought someone set fire to their cubs. They were spraying, fighting each other, clawing at anything and everything they could. Anna and Melissa were calling my name in the crowd, but there were too many voices to focus on at once. Hot hands came down around my shoulders as I shoved my hands against my ears, trying to drown them all out.

"What the hell are you still doing here?" I demanded, whirling to face him. His face was etched with worry, the cats having an absolute fit at the mere scent he was giving off. "What are you doing?" I repeated, still covering my ears. "You're driving them crazy!"

"It isn't me." Embry growled, his eyes flickering around the room. I searched too, unsure if I'd caught the right scent earlier or not.

"There." I hissed, my eyes locking on one of the twins from the forest as she grinned at me evilly, winking as she held the small boy by his shirt, practically dangling him over the edge of the tiger pit. Nobody was stopping to help-all they saw was a mother or sister pulling her brother off of the railing in an attempt to get out as well.

By the time she let him go, the building was practically cleared.

"I get the kid, you get the leech." I hissed, sprinting without second thought. Embry protested for a second, his whines cut off the second the leech moved for me. I dove under her, running full speed before swinging my legs over the rail, sliding onto the faulty red rocks. The young boy screamed loudly, the cats drowning out his cries to anyone outside of the building. The tigers were growing agitated, some of them choosing to corner the boy, others pining for me, swiping at me with their massive class.

I hissed furiously, the sounds coming rapidly and involuntarily out of my throat. A few backed away, smart enough to go whimper in the corner while others were harder to deal with. I practically played leap frog with the three standing in between the boy and I, scooping him into my arms the second he was in reach. The tigers were snarling frantically, half of them unsure of what they were even snarling at. They were swiping wildly, baring teeth as the little boy buried his face in my shoulder and whimpered.

"Close your eyes," I ordered. "Hear me? Close them. We're gonna play a game and you can't open them till I say so. If you keep them closed, you'll get a surprise at the end."

"You sure will." The leech hissed seductively, sweeping into the pit, the tigers going absolutely bat-shit crazy. They were throwing themselves up against the walls, screeching, burying themselves in the rocks as the woman tapped her foot on the ground, crossing her arms. "We'll play hide and go seek," she smiled. "You have thirty seconds."

I swiveled on my heels, starting my treck up the rocks as the boy clung to my neck whimpering, his eyes clamped tightly together. The damn things weren't sturdy whatso-fucking-ever. The rocks were slipping beneath my feet like they were made of Styrofoam, chunks of them breaking off underneath my weight. The woman hissed in glee, scrambling for my ankle as a ripping noise clouded the air, followed by a howl. I pulled my arms over the top rock, using nothing but my arms to keep me up as the woman ripped the rocks from beneath my feet, giving me no support. I was staring at an 8 foot tall beast, maybe taller, taller than any I'd seen that night in the woods. I wasn't dreaming. He was just as beautiful as I'd remembered him, his grey fur standing on edge, baring his dangerously razor-sharp teeth. He growled, lunging over me and the boy.

"Embry, Embry wait, no!" I yelled, trying to warn him of the weak material.

It wasn't quick enough. Embry's front paws landed on the Styrofoam rocks I was clinging to before he pounced off, lunging for the leech. The material exploded under his weight, the boy and I crashing downwards as bits and pieces rained around us, Embry and the woman tumbling amongst the tigers. My fingers caught the edge of the pit, barely giving us enough leverage to keep from crashing to the floor. I pushed the boy upwards.

"Hold on to the bars, you gotta hold on to the bars before I can help you." I ordered steadily, lifting him to the rail. He clung to the inside of it as I pulled myself upwards, using nothing but my arms until my feet were high enough to reach the edge of the pit. I swung my legs over, pulling the boy up with me and calling Embry's name. He batted the woman away and leapt over to us, the boy snapping his eyes open as the leech tumbled into the rocks, hissing in fury before fleeing the scene. Embry towered over us, the boy staring in awe.

"Whoa…" he whispered, his tiny mouth popping open.

"This uh….This is…This is your surprise!" I cheered quickly, trying to form a good enough lie.

"What is it?" The boy asked, clearly bewildered.

"You know the stories the Founders tell us? About the wolves that protect the town?" I asked quietly, crouching beside him. The boy nodded, not taking his eyes off my beautiful wolf. "This is one of them." The boy's mouth grew wider, and he reached up a small, dimpled, chubby hand, Embry bowing his head so he could touch him.

"Is he gonna protect me when I get home?" he asked quietly, running his hands through Embry's fur.

"Only if you keep it a secret." I whispered. The boy nodded furiously, running off through the doors, then coming back, hugging Embry tightly around the neck, and running back outside.

_He'll probably tell anyway._ Embry's voice echoed through my mind. I dropped to the ground, covering my ears as my head split in half, the plain unbelievable. _Arbor! Kitty, come on, Kitty look at me, talk to me._

"I can…hear…you…" I choked out, heat flashing against my body as every sense heightened again, the sound of the cats suddenly sixty times more painful than they were before.

_Sam is gonna kill me…Kitty, come on, look at me Kitty, look at me._

"JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I screamed. Embry swooped underneath me, and I buried my face in his fur, melting into him as the combination of our heat was too much to take at once. There was nothing, bliss, like a loud popping before everything came to a complete standstill. I couldn't feel, couldn't talk or move or see, but I didn't feel the need to. Everything felt light, like when you snip the strings of a balloon and it goes up, up, up, floating in to the sky until it's never seen again.


	12. Everybody Has A Secret

It was like sleeping in an Arizona desert, the sun beating down on my skin at 150 degrees. I shifted, groaning uncomfortably, cool washing over me as soon as I made the noise.

"Kitty?" Embry's voice found me in the darkness, shaking me awake slightly. I didn't want to open my eyes. I'd go blind at that rate, I was far too close to the sun.

"Get me out," I whined incoherently, mumbling like a drunk as Embry moved to several different positions, trying to get me to breathe. "Too hot, too hot."

"I know, baby just look at me. Come on, look at me."

I opened my eyes, pain searing through my eyelids as I did. It was some of the worst pain I'd ever felt, a mix between my entire body falling asleep and being crushed by a dump truck. It was like being tossed into a volcano. The heat rushed into my body ten times stronger than it had originally, my muscles aching as if I'd just gotten back from a 5k run.

"Kitty?" Embry asked softly, his dark eyes full of worry. I pouted like a little girl and curled into him, his light laughter filling my ears, easing the burn.

"Make more noise." I ordered, Embry giving me a questioning glance.

"What do you mean?"

"It quits hurting when you speak." I murmured honestly. Embry smiled and kissed my forehead, rambling on about how I was a total nut-bag for jumping into that lion lion pit? What was he... Oh Fuck, the lion pit…the lion pit….THE ZOO.

I shot out of the sheets, my eyes ridiculously wide as I fumbled for my phone.

"YOU FOLLOWED ME TO THE ZOO!"I cried, waving my arms frantically. Embry rolled his eyes, slapping a palm over his face.

"Sweet Jesus, Kit. You ever gonna let that go?"

"NO, EMBRY, I MEAN IT HAPPENED! IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, THE LEECH AND THE LITTLE BOY AND THE-"

"Shh, Arbor. Be quiet. You're safe." Embry murmured, his arms around me in seconds. His lips were warm against the top of my hair, his hands rubbing my waist soothingly.

"Does Dad know?" I asked fearfully, staring up at him. Embry laughed lightly, shaking his head.

"Looks like I'm not the only one afraid of your Daddy. Didn't I promise I wouldn't tell him?"

"Embry, I'm serious!" I whined. Embry sighed, running a thumb over my cheek.

"I'm kidding, Love. I'm kidding. Satan himself could show up and I still wouldn't leave your side. Nobody could make me snitch on you."

"Except maybe your Imprint." I grumbled. Embry gave me an exasperated sigh, his arms dropping from around me so quickly that I almost wished I'd never said anything.

"I didn't tell, Kitty," He promised, sitting on the edge of the bed. "But there _is _something I have to say to _you." _I opened my mouth to interrupt him, but he shot off the bed so quickly that there was no time. He held me by the shoulders, his dark eyes boring into mine as he stumbled for words. "It's about the-"

"Morning!" The door swung open, Leah Clearwater leaning against the frame with her trademark smirk plastered against her face. Embry shot her a look, rolling his eyes in great annoyance as he turned to her.

"What do you want, Leah?"

"Awe, not excited to see me?" she mocked. "Was I interrupting?"

"Yes." He shot angrily, clenching his jaw.

"Good. You," she directed, turning her eyes to me. "You're coming with me."

"And why's that?" I demanded, Embry raising from the bed, walking over and tightening his grip on me. Leah rolled her eyes dramatically and crossed her arms.

"I'm gonna teach you how to fight."

I raised my eyebrows at her, Embry still glaring. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, a slight smile forming on my lips. I crossed my arms like she had, mimicking her pose as Embry's hands slid from my shoulders to my waist. I almost got angry, shooting him a look over my shoulder. Who was he to make me feel so wonderful…if at any given time he could fall for some wall flower, leaving me alone?

"_You're _going to teach me how to fight?" I asked, eying her. Leah clenched her jaw, clicking her tongue.

"What, you think I can't?"

"Oh I know you can," I laughed confidently. "I just wanna know why."

Leah shifted uncomfortably, her copper face flushing slightly as she refused to meet my eyes.

"You're family, Arbor. One of these days we're not gonna be around to protect you, like you said."

"And you're not gonna tell my Dad?" I tested, shifting. Leah shook her head, and as I started following her down the hallway as Embry grabbed my wrist.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on here," he protested, Leah turning to face him. "Who said _I_ wouldn't tell?"

"Embry!" I yelled, whirling on him.

"Kitty you could get hu-"

"You can't watch her EVERY DAY, Embry." Leah griped, shooting him a look.

"Yes I can, I can be there for whenever she needs me-"

"And if she hadn't found the road, would you have been there for her in the forest then?" she hissed, the venom from the truth sinking under his skin. Embry growled at her fiercely, his body starting to tremble as I stood in front of Leah and crossed my arms, ready to fight if that's what it came to.

Embry's shaking came to a jerking halt as he saw my position, his face falling with grief and pain, as if I'd just shot his mom and slapped him across the face.

"You'd stand against me." He stated flatly, his voice quiet. The sound of it made me want to rip my own throat out and tell him I was sorry in every language ever spoken, but my reasoning was strong and I held my ground.

"Only so I could stand _with _you when the time comes." I murmured, my eyes pleading for him to understand.

"If we get into a fight, I'll be able to protect you. I can do it, Kitty, I can and I-"

"I trust you," I whispered, holding his hand. "So trust me."

Embry looked like he wanted to argue, so I released his hand gently, following Leah down the hallway before he could protest. I could hear him trailing behind us slowly and sadly, refusing to be left behind. I bounced down the stairs, rounding the corner and running straight into my mother.

"Oh, BALLS," I cried out, steadying her, my eyes flickering between Leah and Embry. "Ahh. We were just. We need some air. Pretty day for a walk." I lied, stumbling over my words.

"It's raining..." Mom said flatly, raising an eyebrow.

"I, well...I mean...water is great for your pores..." I stumbled. Mom shot me 'The Look', a sign that she already knew. She put a finger to her lips, kissing me swiftly on the cheek before breezing out of the room.

My jaw hit the floor, Embry shrugging his shoulders as I stared incredulously after my mother, Leah waltzing out into the backyard as if she hadn't even seen her. Embry tugged me out the door, Leah waiting in the backyard with several of the Pack boys smiling at me, a few of the Cullen's grinning as well.

"What?" I smiled in disbelief, each of the vampires taking their turn to hug me. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We're here to make you a badass, duh." Emmett grinned, squeezing me into a hug so tight my back popped. Embry growled, Emmett rolling his eyes in response.

"Too late for that," Sam smiled, tussling my hair. "She's already the toughest girl I know."

"Yeah, yeah, enough with the sweet-talk," Leah smirked. "Let's fight!"

"I call dibs." Rose smirked, eyeing Leah.

"Bring it, Blondie."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Quil cut in. "Come on now, we're here to help ARBOR , not rage war on each other."

"Speak for yourself." Leah murmured, glaring.

Quil rolled his eyes and grinned in spite of himself, nudging Embry as he stood next to me.

"Alright boss, what first?" Quil asked excitedly, Embry's eyes growing wide as he shook his head furiously.

"Boss?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at them. Embry ran his fingers through his hair and looked at anywhere but me, suddenly becoming interested in the forest line 20 feet away.

"What is he talking about?" I pressed, Leah towing me away from the lot of them.

"Forget it," she growled, waving me off. "What _can _you do?"

"What can I do?" I asked stupidly, staring at all of them. I shrugged my shoulders, Leah rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"How'd you fight the vampires off in the forest?" Edward asked curiously. I pursed my lips, shifting my weight to one hip.

"It wasn't really…_voluntary._ It was more of a reaction to what they were doing."

"So for now you're practically useless." Leah muttered, crossing her arms. I shot her a look.

"Look, this is just as new to me as it is to you guys," I defended, shrugging. "I have no idea what I do or how I do it."

"You think maybe we should just rush her?" Jasper suggested, Alice looking around for my future.

"She can't be a wolf, she would've phased by now, and I can see her future. It's a little cloudy, cause of this kid over here," She growled, swatting at Embry."But it's something. And as long as it's something, she isn't a full-blown wolf. Who knows though. Embry's blocking everything in my sight."

"He's gonna be around forever?" I cried in mock annoyance.

"I get to be around for forever?" he asked, suddenly excited. We shot each other looks, crossing our arms and turning away from each other in sync. Edward chuckled, watching us.

"I think it's best if we teach her how to escape first." Carlisle suggested.

"Just get the basics out of the way." Rosalie agreed.

I blinked, Jasper holding in me in a head lock seconds later as I hissed furiously, clawing at him without intention. Quil and Jacob held Embry back as he lunged for the both of us.

"She's already got the mentality," Edward murmured to Carlisle, both of them studying us as I thrashed in Jasper's hold. "She's just got to figure out how to trigger it herself…it's a good thing though, I suppose. The second any vampire, friendly or not, poses a threat, her body goes into attack mode."

Emmett came and crouched down in front of Jasper and I, Embry starting to shake violently in Quil and Jacob's arms.

"If at any time a vampire gets you to face away from it, with your back to its chest, you're in trouble," Emmett started, Jasper's grip slackening so I could learn. I laid limp in his arms, allowing myself to be taught while Emmett showed me the maneuver used to escape. "What you want to do is use your own weight for your benefit. Arch your back, there, just like that, and then use the strength in your arms to pull them over, or at least get yourselves in a different position before they have enough time to rip your head off."

I arched my spine, swiveling under Jasper's grip quickly and grappling his under right arm, his hands still clasped over my left. We were moving beyond fast, quicker than I ever thought I could. I slid underneath his legs, left foot first-forcing him downwards. He released my hand, swiveling and grabbing my torso. I was caught off guard, but immediately countered. As Jasper pulled my torso over his shoulder, my face towards the sky, I shoved off of the ground with my hands, my body arching over his shoulder gracefully as I twisted back around, facing him just in time to catch his other hand as it swung at my face.

"I'll admit, this was a little less easy than I thought it'd be." Jasper smirked, releasing me. I smiled, catching my breath for a few seconds before Rosalie offered to try.

The blonde woman faced me, her eyes dead set on mine in silence as she smiled softly. For a second, I was distracted with her looks, forgetting what we were doing by the time she'd come at me, swinging her arm at my face. I dodged the first, catching her second wrist and spinning her around in the air. She landed on all fours, springing from the crouch immediately. She tackled us to the ground, snapping her teeth at my neck before I managed to roll us over, doing a summersault over her face and landing in a crouch behind her.

Alice appeared out of nowhere, pulling me up by the foot. She should've learned from Jasper. I smirked, dangling 3 feet above the ground as Rosalie sprung back at me. My free foot shot up hard towards Alice's jaw, and she swung me up into the sky. As Rose flung herself towards me in the air, I clung to her shoulder, climbing across her back and landing on my feet safely as she repositioned herself mid-air.

Embry had stopped shaking a while ago, now smirking proudly at me. Sam was harder on me than I'd expected, and he was one of the hardest to take down, though I was sitting on top of his heavy, tired body only five minutes after he'd issued the challenge. I went head-to-head with each of them at a time, the only one able to keep me pinned for long was Edward, and Lord knew he cheated.

"I do not cheat," Edward protested, smiling. "I just get extremely resourceful."

"Yeah, yeah, Cheater." I teased.

"I get to go next." Embry ordered, smirking. I narrowed my eyes at him, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow at him.

"Bring it, Call." I hissed, my eyes glinting as I smiled at him, crouching. Embry smiled, charging.

I dashed off, weaving through our crowd of inspectors, Embry's heavy footsteps behind me. I flung myself upwards into the air, flipping backwards over his head and swinging. He was fast. Embry swiveled seconds before my palm connected with the back of his face, grabbing my wrist, then catching the second as it came to meet his cheek. I swung underneath him, pivoting and ripping my right hand free, Embry going in the opposite direction, mocking my movements. I batted his hand away with my right arm, swinging behind him once more, pulling both of his arms behind his back. Embry grunted as I kicked the back of his leg, both of his knees hitting the ground with a thud. As he pulled me over his shoulder, I hit the ground, clamboring onto his thighs with my feet and using them as a springboard. As I launched into the air, Embry's large hand gripped my waist, pulling me back to him forcefully. He wound my other hand around my back, holding it between our chests as we breathed heavily, our faces centimeters away.

"Got ya."Embry whispered, inching in.

Slow, sweet, acid was churning in my stomach as I realized two things.

1.)Embry Call was about to kiss me.

2.)Embry Call was about to kiss me, most likely leading to our dating, which would next lead to him Imprinting and me being left alone to die without him. Boo.

I was almost thankful for the hand that ripped me out of Embry's arms, until I saw who it was. Adam was glaring at all of us, towering over me as his eyes burned holes into our faces.

"What the hell are you guys doing out here?" he demanded, his voice instantly freezing everyone in the field.

"We're ahh…we're-"

"I thought Dad said no training." He growled, cutting me off. Embry growled louder, not helping the situation as he pulled me behind him. Adam scoffed at him.

"You might want to be reeeeeeal careful about who you talk to, kid." Embry seethed, slightly shaking. Adam cracked his neck as if he were possessed, wincing and swatting at it immediately before staring at the rest of us like we were insane again. What the hell was wrong with him?

"Wouldn't want your secret to come out, would you?" Adam hissed, staring at all of us suspiciously. Did he know? There was no way he knew. Everyone in the house was keeping a tighter lid than ever, no one wanting to be the one who spilled the beans. I watched him stomp angrily back into the house, Mom jumping as he breezed by.

"What the hell is she doing?" I asked, watching her put a plethora of decorations on our back porch.

"Dinner party," Sam murmured, rolling his eyes. "Everyone's coming over this weekend, but I don't think it's a good idea with all the attitude Adam's giving off. I'm scared he'll snap or something…slit someone's throat."

I shot my oldest brother a look, wondering if Adam was capable of doing such a thing, and the odds weren't looking so good. Adam had been moodier than Mom and I were when our cycles matched up, times that by ten and then add the attitude Sam had before he phased. Adam was breaking things, yelling, leaving the house all the time in fits of rage nobody could explain…it was like hell had broken loose inside his soul.

"We're done for the day." Embry ordered over his shoulder, watching me warily. If only he knew.


	13. Call To The Wolves

***There's a very important scene in this chapter where you HAVE to listen to the song while reading it. The song is called Seven Devils by Florence + the Machine, and it's what has helped pull the scene together. It's a very vicious and physical scene, so be ready...It starts when Arbor gets into the car and tries to speed back home, where her head starts pounding. Keep the song on repeat until the chapter is over from that point if it turns off.***

* * *

><p>"What's wrong with Prom Queen?" Melissa murmured, staring off into the corner. I followed her gaze, Eli's sister staring dead ahead into space. Boy, did she look rough. Her usually silky, shiny blonde hair was now tussled and frizzed, fraying at the ends. There were bags under her bloodshot eyes, her skin looking pale and lifeless. I furrowed my brow, trying to figure out what'd brought down Elissa. Her eyes snapped to mine immediately, something blazing in them furiously as I swiveled back around in my chair, my face growing hot. She'd looked like a madman, like there was nothing stopping her from jumping out of her chair and slaughtering me on the spot.<p>

Melissa giggled quietly behind me, chewing on her pencil as Anna waltzed into class 10 minutes late as usual. The teacher shot her a look, not even bothering to write her up due to the fact that she never ended up serving her detentions anyway.

"Where's Koo-Koo Puffs?" she asked, sliding into her seat next to Melissa and gesturing towards Eli's desk, which had been empty for days.

"No idea," I murmured honestly, gnawing on the end of my pen. "But I know somebody who does."

Anna and Melissa's eyes flickered from me to Elissa, and I nodded subtly, hoping they'd catch the hint.

"You think she'll cut out my entrails if I ask where he is?" Melissa asked, raising an eyebrow. Anna rolled her eyes and waved her off.

"We should just ask her."

"I don't know, guys," I murmured, pursing my lips. "She looks like she's had a rough couple days."

"More like a rough couple centuries." Anna muttered.

"You're just bitter because she told you to quit carrying around that stupid stuffed giraffe." Melissa griped.

"HE'S NOT STUPID." Anna cried, the class swiveling to look at her. I laid my head on the desk until the bell rang, Elissa nearly shoving me out of the classroom door and storming off as if I'd tried to drown her favorite cat.

The clouds were still rumbling over my head as I ran through the forest, the leaves crunching beneath my heavy feet the same way they always did. I thought about the usual things-Mom, Embry, Adam. He'd been on my mind more than ever, my brother.

I was worried for him. Terrified _of _him, to be honest-even when Embry was around. He didn't speak anymore, I hadn't heard one of his ridiculously corny jokes or snarky comments in nearly two months. All Adam did was stuff his face, Mom having to grocery shop at least once a day between him and the Pack boys. I could hear him prowling around at night, unable to sleep or even think straight. Sometimes I'd listen to him murmur to himself casually, growling whenever I'd get too close for his comfort. He carried tension around like a 3 year old girl did a Dora backpack, and wherever he went, so did it. If you thought he and Embry were ready to kill each other within the first two weeks, you were insane and hadn't seen anything yet. Mom and I could barely keep them from snapping each other in half, and as a result, Dad made a rule that they weren't even allowed to be in the same room together anymore.

Of course I didn't want to take sides, and Lord knows what I'd choose if I had to, which was probably one of my biggest faults of all. Who was I, to choose a silly boy over the people that had protected and loved me from birth? No matter how many times I reminded myself of the things my family had given me, I couldn't help but balance them out with Embry simply breathing. The sweet acid bubbled in my stomach again as I realized that he, the boy I couldn't stand but was forced to work with on a regular basis, was my _best _friend, and one of my only real ones. Anna and Melissa were beyond lovable, they'd shown me that I had just as much capability to make real friends as I did to make a high school career off fake ones, but they didn't know half the truth about me. They didn't know I spent most of my time locked in a house with a horde of man meat, or that said horde of man meat often phased into carnivorous furry beasts on a regular basis. I highly doubted that it'd make any difference if they knew these days, because no matter what, we'd never be looking at the same thing. The girls would either be fascinated or terrified, awe-struck by the mysterious creatures. When I looked at the Pack boys, all I saw was my family. They'd watched me with no makeup, seen me fall on my ass while trying to fight countless of times, Hell, they'd even seen me emerge from bed almost every morning with nothing but a T-shirt on, much to Dad's horror. No matter what, they meant something completely different to me than they did everyone else. To me, they were more brothers, extra love, people who taught me what it meant to keep my heart open.

I came to a light jog at the edge of my favorite water pool, pulling my shirt over my head, the shorts coming off next and the undergarments following suit. The water was cool against even _my_ skin, which had rose in temperature over the past weeks. I went from having an average body temperature of 98 degrees, to getting almost as warm as the Pack at 107. In spite of all the odd changes, I felt like I was turning into the person I was always meant to be. I was never supposed to fit in with normal girls, never was supposed to be the pretty face and nothing more. As a person, I'd grown. I'd gain so many more amazing qualities that my looks were fading into the background, becoming less and less important as time went on. I wanted to be the strong one, the fighter, and even if I'd always had the spirit for it, I'd never had the physical capability up until now.

I smirked, my feet kicking beneath the surface, my body completely submerged aside from my head as I realized I was unstoppable. A force to be reckoned with. I _was _a fighter, and most importantly, I had a place somewhere. Regardless of whether Dad liked it or not, I was just as much a part of this Pack that Sam was. I was a member, a key factor, something someone would miss if it were to go missing. I let myself sink beneath the line of water, my entire body engulfed as it washed the old Arbor away, leaving nothing but bits and pieces, a new, stronger girl swimming in her place. I was new, refined, conditioned, like I was mentally welcoming the new me, giving it permission to have my body and my life. As soon as I did, a small humming started in the back of my head, irritating but tolerable, like the start to a headache. Small fish brushed my sides and fingertips happily as the cool sunk through my skin, sending a chill through my spine.

As I broke through the surface and heaved myself out of the water, I felt like a new person. Redefined. Special. I pulled on the old Arbor's clothing, masking the new her from everyone else, and jogged back home, hoping no one would notice my change of heart. The new Arbor was for me, the one secret I'd get to keep for myself as long as possible until people started taking notice.

I breezed through the house, Mom giving me her usual kiss on the cheek before moving towards the kitchen to start dinner. Embry beamed at me as I jogged up the stairs soaking wet, water sliding down my cheeks.

"Hey," he smiled, brushing away a water droplet with his thumb. "I got news about the Pack, I think you shou-"

"Can we just watch a movie?" I asked, cutting him off gently. "We need a break from the Pack."

Embry smiled even brighter, kissing me on the forehead swiftly before pulling me closer to him, the heat between us causing the water on my skin to simmer. I smiled into his chest, deciding I'd keep him as long as I could. Who cared if he'd Imprint one day? That was his problem, not mine. Maybe Embry _was _supposed to fit into the category with every other boy I'd come across, and maybe the Arbor who used boys to her full advantage was one of the bits that had gotten left behind when the water washed most of her away. He was MINE, until fate was ready to split us apart. I smiled under the heat of the shower water, deciding I was doing the best possible thing for myself. Selfish, selfish...and it felt so good.

After pulling on one of Embry's old hoodies and a pair of shorts, I bounced down the steps, throwing my hair into a sloppy braid. I cheesed at Embry before glancing happily out of the living room window, watching the rain beat down on the pavement.

"I feel bad for anybody who's caught on those forest roads." I teased, poking him before sitting down and curling up next to his large torso. I kicked my feet up on top of his legs, leaning my head into his chest as he wrapped an arm around me, flipping through the channels for something good. I winced against the glare of the television, the humming in my head growing louder and somewhat annoying.

"What about a scary one?" I suggested.

"Oh whatever," Embry murmured, rolling his eyes. "I really don't feel like watching myself on T.V."

"You think you're a monster?" I asked, looking up at him. Embry sighed, the T.V. giving his copper skin a silver glow.

"I think I wasn't supposed to happen, really."

"You weren't supposed to happen?" I demanded, suddenly growing angry. Why would he say something like that about himself?

"Look at us, Kitty. We're a bunch of forever-stuck teenage boys. We went from normal kids to monsters, we turn into giant furry beasts and chase the deadliest predator out there."

"Whoa, whoa, you guys never age?"

"Nope."

"But my Dad-"

"He quit phasing once your Mom got pregnant with Sam. As long as we quit phasing, we'll age. It's really hard though, the second after your first phase, your temper gets ridiculously short. It's hard NOT to phase, but your Dad learned to control himself so he could get older with Emily."

"So technically, you're older than 16."

"All of us except for Collin and Michael are, actually." He laughed. I gaped at him.

"Ew," I murmured, wrinkling my nose. "So I'm cuddling with an old man."

"I'm not THAT old, Kit. More like 30 something. MENTALLY, I'll have you know. Physically, I'm still 16. Edward's 106, and Bella's only 30 ya know." He shrugged.

"But they're in love," I added. "Would it matter if we were in love too?" The words came out before I could stop them, but I stared at him, curious for the answer.

"That's why it doesn't matter now," Embry shrugged again, his cheeks glowing red as I stared up at him. He shifted uncomfortably, turning his face closer to mine. "Okay I know you said no more Pack stuff…but you really have to-"

_MYYYYY HEART'S A STEREO, IT BEATS FOR YOU SO LISTEN CLOSE, HEAR MY THOUGHTS WITH EVERY NOTE, OH OH, MAKE MEEEEE YOUR RADIO, TURN ME UP WHE-_

"Take this." I smiled apologetically, finishing his sentence for him before reaching for my phone in my hoodie. I slid the bar across the screen and held it up to my face.

"Hello?" a small, quiet voice asked. I knit my eyebrows together, Embry shooting me a confused look.

"Hello?" I asked, waiting.

"Arbor…I-I…I need you to come over." The voice whimpered.

"Elissa what's wrong?" I demanded, sitting up on the couch. She sounded like she was about to be slaughtered.

"It's Eli, I just….I need you t-to come." She whispered, breaking into sobs seconds later as something shattered in the background.

"Okay okay, don't move unless you have to, I'm coming right now." I shot, shoving the phone back in my pocket.

"Where are you going?" Embry asked, grabbing my hand as I stood.

"Something's wrong with Elissa." I breezed, heading for the door. I swung it open, Embry's hand coming over my head and slamming it before I could get out. "What are you doing?"

"I really have to tell you…"

"Make it quick, Embry. Something could be wrong."

"I Imprinted." he blurted, his cheeks flushing red again.

The room grew silent, the T.V. becoming nothing but a low hum behind me as my insides twisted up, the acid no longer sweet, only burning in my stomach.

"You what?"

"I Imprinted."

I nodded furiously, trying my best to hold back tears, trying again to open the door, wiping my face.

"We'll talk about it later." I ordered, clenching my jaw.

"You can't go alone!" Embry said, as if I were stupid.

"Embry it's not funny, I have to go NOW."

"Then let me come with you." He ordered, pulling his keys out of his pocket.

"She lives 10 minutes away, it could be as simple as she's on her period and emotional. Let me go alone."

"Kitty I-"

"I'll be an hour tops."

"Remember what happened last time you said that?" he shot, glaring at me. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, Embry sighing in defeat as he handed over the keys. "If ANYTHING goes wrong, call me."

"I'll make sure to howl," I grumbled, pulling the door open. I stared out into the rain for a minute, the tears coming quickly. "Embry?" I asked, my voice coming out softly and broken. Embry's eyebrows knit together as I turned to him, my vulnerability exposed immediately.

"Kitty I-"

"She's really lucky," I blurted out, Embry running his hand through his hair painfully, his face twisted in dismay. "She's really lucky and I already know by the end of this, you won't be able to be around all the time."

"Arbor just-"

"So don't be here when I get back," I ordered, Embry looking like I'd just shot him. "It's easier if we get the leaving thing over with, don't you think?"

"Arbor I'm never gonna leave you!" Embry cried, pleading with me. I shook my head furiously, letting the door slam behind me as I sprinted through the mud, water splashing against my legs. I threw open the door of the Charger, sliding behind the steering wheel and taking off, refusing to let myself look back at him.

This seat felt uncomfortable, like a stranger. I glanced into the passenger seat, wondering what I looked like to him every time I sat in it. Was I really just a passenger? Precious cargo? Was Embry really just my babysitter, or was that only now that he had an Imprint? What if he really had liked me, what if he wanted me before meeting whatever shrew that bewitched him? It wasn't fair, I needed him more than I needed air, more than I WANTED air, and that was saying something.

I should've pushed him away the day I'd found out about the fact that I'd someday lose him, should've told him to leave and never come back. I could've thrown a hissy fit in front of Dad, could have demanded a new wolf to protect me on a day-to-day basis, but no, I had to soak in all of Embry Call while I still could, because deep down I didn't _want _another wolf. My head was throbbing as I pulled into Elissa's driveway, all the windows blackened out as if no one was home.

"Liss?" I asked quietly, pushing open the front door gingerly. "Liss, you here?"

The girl flew into me, her fluffy blonde hair getting caught in my face. I held her as she sobbed furiously, my eyes darting around for any sight of a threat. My head was pounding like no other, it felt like at any given second I'd drop to the ground, but I held on to her, ready to fight if that's what it came to.

"It's Eli!" she whispered furiously, her tears soaking my hoodie. "Arbor I don't know what to do with him anymore, I keep trying to help him but he won't be helped, he just gets so angry and I-"

"Liss, leave the room." I ordered, watching Eli as he rounded the corner slowly, his eyes mad.

"Yeah, Lissy. Leave the room." He mimicked, leaning against the wall tiredly. Elissa's eyes flickered between the both of us, unsure of what to do. I nudged her into the dining room and she scurried away, locking herself in the basement.

"Eli?" I asked gently, easing towards him.

"I've been asking about you for weeks, it's the only reason she called you and not anyone else." He cut before I could say anything. I relaxed slightly, wrapping my arms around my friend, my face buried in his neck. He constricted me, his arms tight against my back as he nuzzled his face in my hair, kissing the top of it.

"How come you haven't been at school?" I asked quietly, the both of us still tangled in each other. I felt comfortable, but only for a moment. The back of my heart was wondering where Embry was and why it wasn't _his _arms that were wrapped around me.

"Half of them think I'm insane, Kitty."

"I don't."

"_I _do. That's the worst part."

"What's been going on?"

"I can't explain it. It's like…I don't know. I'm paranoid, I keep looking over my shoulder all the time."

"Come back," I coaxed, rubbing his back. "Being around your friends is gonna make you feel better again."

"_You _make me feel better again."

"Then come back to school with me."

Eli sighed, the both of us were quiet for a moment while he thought this over carefully, weighing his options.

"Fine," he murmured quietly against my hair. "I'll come back. On one condition."

"Whatever you want," I said quietly, pulling my head up to look at him, smiling. "Ice cream? Movies? Wanna get your butt beat at track again?"

"I want you to stay away from the Embry kid."

I felt my eyebrows knit together, scanning his face to see if he was serious. He was. Deadly so. Eli looked down at me expectantly, waiting for my answer, frowning when I pulled away from him gently.

"You want me to stay away from Embry?" I asked suspiciously, leaning against the wall. Eli nodded, folding his arms. "Why the hell would I stay away from Embry?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Why him? Why not the others as a whole? What's so special about Call?" I challenged, my face still set in wary.

"I don't know. Tell me." Eli countered, his eyes deadly and teasing, like a cat to a mouse. When I was silent he smirked, beginning to pace the hallway back and forth. "He's too dangerous."

"Dangerous? Embry wouldn't hurt a fly, especially not me."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that."

"Then why do you always get into trouble when he's around?" He challenged, still pacing.

"I don't get in trouble with Embry!" I argued. "He keeps me safe, if anything."

Eli laughed loudly, almost manically, scoffing at my statement. My head was searing now, begging me to go lay down somewhere, but I was stuck in a hard spot.

"Safe? He could get you killed."

"You could get me killed too but I-"

"I COULD PROTECT YOU FROM ANYTHING." Eli shouted, his pacing stopping as he stared at me momentarily before going at it again.

"You think you could, Eli. You have no idea."

"I don't know why he can't leave you alone!" Eli yelled, seeming to speak somewhat to himself. "I don't know why I can't either! God damn it!" He cried, grabbing his head and wincing. I pressed myself against the wall in horror, my eyes widening in fear. "He's got to leave you alone!"

"Why can't you? I demanded.

"You don't understand! It's HIM you need to be afraid of, HIM! HE WON'T LEAVE YOU ALONE! WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT YOU?"

Eli whirled, his fist shoving through the drywall centimeters away from my face, coming off in crumbs and chunks. His face was inches away from mine, our heavy breathing washing over my ears, my head about to explode from the headache raging inside it.

"I don't know," I breathed, Eli's dark brown eyes easing up to meet my own. "Tell me."

Eli looked up at me, our hearts beating furiously in anxiety and curiosity. His face inched towards mine, his other hand leaning against the wall next to the other side of my face. I closed my eyes, his lips brushing against my own as my head felt seconds away from bursting. I let the kiss happen, guilt washing over me as his lips worked against mine, his hand pulling free from the drywall and finding my waist. A hum was starting in my lips, similar to the one that had started in my head earlier. It was spreading over me, a slow vibration. It felt right but wrong, as if it was alright to kiss, but not alright to kiss _him. _The only thing I could focus on was the look of Embry's perfect, soft lips, wondering what _they'd _feel like if _they _were the ones working against my own.

The acid was bubbling in full satisfaction now, smirking happily at my demise as it seared through me, weighing down every muscle in my body while my head screeched in protest at any action I made. Embry had an Imprint, and that Imprint wasn't me. I wanted him anyway, wanted to forgive him and cling to any second I could possibly have with him, because he was mine. Daddy had said so, had paired us up together. We were supposed to be partners in crime, best friends. He was supposed to keep me safe, and then we'd both take the blame when I ended up suckering him into letting me go somewhere alone and Dad found out. My family loved him, Hell, he already WAS a part of my family, and I wanted his hands to wrap around me, to keep me safe no matter who the Hell had his heart at the moment.

I pulled away from Eli, tears pricking at my eyes as his face fell.

"I can't." I choked out, gaping at him. Eli's face twisted back into a grimace.

"Embry," he snarled lowly, tearing his eyes away from me. I ducked underneath his arm, flinging the door open and running full speed at the Charger. "HE'S GONNA GET YOU KILLED, ARBOR." Eli screamed after me as I sped down the road.

My head was beating furiously now, raging against my body, my vision blurring as I went well beyond the speed limit, not even quite sure of where I was anymore. The trees were blurring around me, water kicking up at the wheels of the car as the height of it picked up. I was driving straight into a canyon again. I ripped my hands free of the steering wheel, clawing at my head as my heart pulsated in my ears, the thunder in the background only intensifying the pain. The Charger flew off the road, speeding through the trees with no direction as I screamed, my ears doing everything they could to focus in on every sound around me.

I flung open the door the second the car stopped, my feet trudging wildly through the mud as I stumbled drunkenly through the strobe-like forest, the lightening flashing silver across each surface every three seconds. The pounding in my head had become a searing, a burning flame licking at every part of my brain, tearing each nerve a part slowly and painfully. My senses were going haywire. I could see everything, I could smell, hear, taste everything as it raged through the air, the burning pain sinking down my body slowly. I was being set on fire, attacked with a chainsaw. I was being dipped into a vat of acid, every fiber of my being split into pieces.

My own screams were echoing off the trees, I started ripping my clothes off, clawing at my own body, trying to rip the toxin out from underneath my skin as it raged war inside me. My muscles were being disintegrated, sinking into nothing, the burning hotter than ever now, worse than falling asleep next to Embry and sitting inside the sun combined. I needed to get help. I was losing it, becoming nothing, washing away with the mud and the rain. If someone didn't come for me, I'd die. I sank to my knees, my screams growing louder as my body twisted involuntarily, bones snapping out of place, rebuilding themselves, muscles aching, nerves screeching.

I would never see anyone again, not Mom, not Dad, not even Embry. I whimpered through sobs, recalling how horrid our last conversation had been. If I could go back, I would've changed so much about it, would've just flat out told him I loved him, would've screamed that I'd wanted to have his babies since the second I'd seen him, but I was too late. I ran over our last words again and again, wanting him there with me more than I ever had in my entire life, my body ripping itself a part. I watched a rib snap upwards, shoving itself back into its home seconds later, my screams following soon after. I would've rather been set on fire, would've rather been eaten by a wild pack of wolves than do this. Wolves…the wolves. I'd never see the wolves again either. Pictures of them flashed through my mind, watching them run wild through the forest, watching their large jaws snap ferociously. I thought back to the first time I'd seen them, watching Dad call to them, each descending only seconds louder.

I was crawling through the mud, dragging my body along twigs and rocks, my own blood surrounding me in puddles much too large for survival, my head searing and throbbing so loudly and viciously that I wasn't even able to think anymore. I was left helpless, unable to defend myself in any way against the pain that shot through my spine, snapping it in half. There were no distractions now, no turning back from where I'd gone so quickly without warning. My shoulders were shoving each other out of place, my muscles spasming furiously.

I did the only thing I had physical capability of doing. I howled.

_ Embry, surrounded by his comforting brothers sit around the kitchen, Emily speaking soothingly and stroking his hair, wiping away the occasional tear before opening the window, Sam sr. taking her place at Embry's side and patting his shoulder encouragingly. As Emily opens the window, an ear-splitting howl echoes through the trees in the distance, each member of the family snapping their heads up in sync with the exception of Emily._

_Arbor sinks farther into the mud, baring her teeth viciously, her screams growing louder and louder if at all possible as her canines sharpen into fangs, blood seeping into her mouth as her gums are pushed to their limits. Her fingers dig into the mud, one popping out of place, the burning reaching an all new height, one she can't even comprehend. She falls into the marsh of grass and dirt, writhing around viciously, her hands finding her shirt and ripping it to pieces, her toes curling manically, her body arching against the ground._

_Embry and the others sprint through the forest, their heavy paws hitting the ground viciously as Emily sobs back home in the kitchen, Adam wrapping his arms tightly around her, the only one in the room able to pick up the sound now that the others are gone. Each wolf has their own motif for getting to the girl trapped in the forest, all of them flooding each other's minds as Embry growls loudly, his roar ripping through the trees so loudly that the others shrink back for a moment, all the small animals fleeing the scene._

_Arbor screeches viciously, throwing her head back, her eyes glowing a vivid green as her hands clench into fists, her nails clawing at her palms._

_The wolves push harder, Embry sensing the change in his body as Arbor's heart beats rapidly. They explode into the clearing, each howling in pain as Arbor's screeching grows louder and louder, the sight of her writhing in the dirt unbearable. A new sense of energy rushes over them, and they each drop to the ground immediately, howling in pain as their bodies take on a new pain of their own. Quil, Collin, Michael, Leah, Sam sr., Embry, Sam jr., Brady, Jared, Seth, the whole lot of them fall into the mud, some of them being in so much pain that they start phasing back and forth between human and werewolf, the pain rushing through every fiber of their being._

_Leah screeches loudly, clawing at her chest as her heart thuds rapidly, taking on a life of its own, moving so quickly that she's sure it'll explode in her skin. _

_Quil drags his body along through the mud, doing whatever he can to quiet the flames set on his skin, each licking up his body furiously as he bares his teeth wildly._

_Michael arches in the dirt, his teeth sharpening to such a point that he slices his bottom lip, the poor boy screaming as a rib pops out of place._

_Adam hovers against the cabinets with his sobbing mother, his eyes wide with horror as he sees flashes of each wolf in their own sort of pain, each forming a circle, Arbor in the center of it, screaming and clawing, her thoughts of pain washing each and every one of them, their minds now completely linked together._

_In the forest, Embry howls loudly, unable to move under the weight of his own physical pain, Sam and his father both writhing viciously. Each of them are screeching, praying to die, their thoughts all rumbling into one loud cry for help in the minds of all of them, until there's nothing elft but pain and the willingness to end it. As Arbor's body shuts down, so does those of the rest of her family, each of them sinking into the mud, twitching occasionally, tears streaking their faces as they fall unconcious._

_The view turns high, going into birds-eye, watching as each wolf lay unmoving in the marsh, all 10 of their bodies forming a full circle around Arbor, the lightening raging over all of their fur, not a sound left in the forest aside from the occasional loud rumble of thunder. _Arbor lays unmoving in the mud, the pain being so excruciating that her body shut down, her heart barely moving in her chest. Rain washes over her, lightening flashing against her copper skin every few seconds as she sleeps soundly in the mud, each organ having de-activated itself in an attempt to survive. She closes her eyes, her heart thudding thickly for the last time.__


	14. Tell Me To Leave

**(When Arbor wakes up) Calamity-Two Steps From Hell**

**(When Arbor and Embry fight) The Prodigy-Omen**

**(When Embry comes into Arbor's room) Kate Nash-Nicest Thing**

* * *

><p>My eyes snapped open, the sun beating down on my bare skin. I realized several things at once, the birds chirping loudly around me. One, was that I could see everything. Actually <em>see <em>it, as if my eyes were made of high-definition crystal clear material. The etching on every leaf, the dust twinkling lightly in the rays of sun, the small bugs as they whizzed by, unsure of their own destinations. And there was just so much to see. It was beautiful, all blending into one gorgeous picture nobody had the talent to paint or capture.

Second, I could hear everything. Any bird, any animal that moved within miles of me was audible. I could decipher each and every one, zoning in on whichever I chose. There were thousands of them, but each was clear in their own distinct way, sounding more like a melody than a horde of random ass noise.

Third was that I felt brand new. Before last night, any part of my body would grow warmer than the rest at any given time without warning. Now, with my face pressed against my arm, I realized that I was finally all one temperature. Even living in La Push, Washington, where it rained nearly 24/7, I felt perfectly comfortable laying naked in the tall grass. I wiggled my fingers lightly, the leaves feeling beyond fragile within them.

"Smooth." I murmured quietly to myself as I ran over the texture again and again, my own voice startling me. That wasn't my voice. I mean it was, but it was different. Silky, smooth, unwavering. It sounded like sex, to be honest, like I was drawing someone towards me.

I sat up, my eyes flickering to my hair as it brushed against my elbow. That wasn't my hair. My hair was not that long. I picked up a smooth wave between two fingers, running over the glossy lock. Stretching it out, it reached all the way to the ground as long as I stayed sitting down. My fingers found my scalp, running themselves all the way down to make sure the hair was mine. It was.

_She's alive?_

My head snapped up, a tiny silver wolf staring dead at me.

"Leah?" I asked, half-listening to my own voice as her name came out. She whimpered lightly, inching towards me. My eyes flickered to my surroundings, each of the wolves sitting quietly in a circle, me in the center. Their eyes were all locked on my face, waiting, as if they were wondering if I'd get up and slaughter them.

_That's part of it. _Leah grumbled in my head, answering my unspoken question.

"You think I'll hurt you?" I asked, staring at her again. Leah furrowed her heavy eyebrows, pausing in her movements.

_You can hear us?_ I turned towards the sound of my Dad's voice, using all of my self-control not to jump up and fling myself towards him like a little girl. _It's alright, Kitty. You're safe. You're still my little girl._

"Am I?" I asked quietly, fear seeping through for the first time since I'd woken up. I examined my flawless copper skin, wondering if it really was mine.

_Of course you are, _Dad murmured, not breaking the circle. _Always._

I eyed their movements, watching as several of them paced back and forth, tails flicking in annoyance as they kept their eyes on me.

"You guys aren't moving." I murmured suspiciously, questioning why they hadn't come towards me. "You guys haven't moved in hours."

_Not true. We took turns sleeping. Sam went back to the house a few times to check on Emily. _Michael corrected.

"You aren't moving towards me." I observed, watching Collin nudge against thin air, as if there were some sort of invisible shield preventing him from breaking the circle.

_That's the thing…_Quil whined quietly. _We can't._

I felt the shock wash over my face momentarily before I fixed it.

"Why not?"

_We have no idea yet. Don't worry, we're gonna get it fixed as soon as we figure it out. _Dad assured, nodding his head slowly.

_Can you move?_ Sam asked, worry seeping through his tone. I nodded, standing up shakily, my newly grown hair tickling my sides as I did.

Half the wolves turned away awkwardly, images of my own body flashing through my mind followed by thoughts of Shakespear and things that had nothing to do with the situation.

That's when I remembered I was naked.

But it wasn't me they were seeing.

I focused in on the girl they were staring at, a gasp running through my lips. The girl was much taller than I was, standing at a good "5'7", her thick, black, shiny waves rushing over her bare chest and covering anything worth looking at, although size had changed in more ways than one. Her chest was at least two cups over mine, probably a D or possibly more. Her stomach was completely flattened out, her waist curving inward gracefully, then outwards, her hips pushing out slightly farther than mine did. She had long, toned, muscular legs, her tattered shorts hanging over her hips loosely, revealing more than a little of her bright blue boy-shorts. She had a better butt than I did, much more rounded out and full. All of her skin was coppery and flushed, as if it were glowing and dewy, her high cheekbones catching the sunlight perfectly. What got me were the eyes. Those weren't my eyes. They were brilliant green, almost neon compared to my dark color, widening in horror at the wolves around her. Her lips parted the second I gasped, her hands fumbling against her body in sync with mine.

I looked down at my new figure, tugging and poking every which way, bewilderment washing over me.

"What the hell happened to me?" I whispered, horrified.

_We don't….we don't quite know yet, we just…_

"I'm still me, right?" I demanded, staring at all of them. "I can still…I mean I still…."  
><em>We still love you, Arbor. We still love YOU. The real YOU, no matter what you look like now. <em>Sam assured me, whimpering at his own words.

_Try walking, or moving._ Seth suggested. _Get used to the skin you're in._

I nodded, stretching. It felt like heaven, honestly, as if I'd been sleeping for years. Several of the wolves looked away again, images of my body flashing through my head once more as Dad growled.

_We can't help it, Sam. _Michael argued quietly. _We're trying._

_Try harder._ Embry growled behind me.

I whirled around to face him, my stomach twisting up in acid. I suddenly wished I'd never woken up. Embry backed away, whining as my thoughts flooded his mind. It was all rushing back to me at once, the night before, the Imprinting, Eli. Embry growled furiously again as my recount of my time at Eli's flashed across his thoughts.

_Are you kidding me?_ He roared furiously, everything in his sight starting to go red. I tried to flip to someone else's mind, tried to scan someone else's head but I was drawn to his like a moth to a flame, unable to turn away.

"I tried to leave," I started explaining, his fury rising within me. "Why do you care anyway?" I hissed, lurching forward a step. "You get to have the both of us? Get your cake and eat it too?"

_Maybe if you'd listen for once instead of SCREAMING at everybody you wouldn't be going CRAZY._

Something flipped in me, a deadly switch of some sort going off in my brain. I cocked my head to the side, something flaring in my newly neon eyes.

"Call me crazy one more time." I hissed quietly, daring him. There were murmurs of protest behind me, Dad doing his best to shut Embry up before he got slaughtered. Sam chuckled behind me, Collin and Michael starting to make bets.

_There's no way that's a fair fight, the wolves can't even cross the line!_ Quil whined, betting $20 on my win. I nodded, still staring at Embry.

"He's right, Em," I mocked. "So phase. Cross the line as a human."

Embry cocked an eyebrow at my challenge, disappearing behind a tree and coming back fully human, now dawning a pair of Levi cut-offs. A smirk was playing on his lips as he tossed me a sports bra, and I pulled it on, still fuming. Embry stopped inches away from my face, the wolves in the back still placing bets.

"Cray-zee." He growled. I breathed out slowly, wrath shifting through every part of my body as I coiled, tackling him in seconds.

We rolled on the ground, tumbling like weeds across the forest floor, the jeers and cheers of the wolves behind me not in the least distracting. My fist hit the forest floor next to Embry's face, chunks of dirt flying up seconds later. He rolled us over, and I slipped between his legs, kicking him hard in the chest as he tried to come back up to face me. Embry rolled backwards, pushing off his hands to land on both feet, his hands clenching into fists. We stood there for a few seconds in silent fury before I charged at him again, sliding between his legs once more and swinging my fist backwards, Embry catching it seconds before it connected to his face. I growled in frustration as he pulled my arm behind my own head and towards my opposite shoulder blade, pulling me close to his chest.

"You need to learn to listen." He smirked.

"You need to learn to shut the hell up."

I swiveled underneath my own arm, a few inches between us once more as my arm was extended. I brought my left foot up, kicking his hand away from mine with my foot, yet the second he let go, he pivoted on his heels, coming back with the other to get a hold of my shoulder. I ducked away from his touch, grabbing his bicep. Now on the outside of his extended fist, I brought my left down on his stomach, then up to his chest, Embry coughing loudly from the pressure. His right hand came under, grabbing my torso and ripping me under his left arm, throwing me over his shoulder.

"Jeez kid, you think I do this for fun?" He yelled as I flipped over him. I stopped his fist as it came around, yanking him close, our faces inches apart again.

"I think," I growled, shoving him away and turning on my heels. "You need to pick and choose your battles."

As he attempted to pull me back to him, I shot a roundhouse kick, Embry ducking beneath it and pulling me by the waist towards his chest, smirking. I glanced at my thigh hitched over his right shoulder, now standing in a full split.

"I think you're enjoying my choice this time around."

"Funny how you always have a smart ass comment on deck," I hissed, using the force of my leg to push his head down, climbing across his shoulders and shoving him to the ground. "How long does it take for you to think of and memorize them?"

"Not long," Embry grunted, reaching over his shoulders and pulling me to the ground, my body hitting the forest floor. "Much like the fight going on right now."

I rolled to my side, side-sweeping him, his body crashing down next to mine.

"Don't make your life a short one, Embry Call." I hissed, standing to my feet. Embry's hand wrapped around my ankle, and I tripped over myself, doing everything I could to claw away as he dragged me towards him.

"Listen, Princess, I'm not liking our little confrontation here." He grunted, struggling to keep me restrained as I thrashed. I brought my other foot around, my leg slicing through the air towards his head, but he ducked, throwing it to the ground and pinning it there so that I was now flat on my back, continuing to be dragged towards him. The second my hips were in reach, Embry pulled me up by them, my legs wrapping around his torso as he sat on his knees in the grass. Embry moved so quickly to my arms that I didn't have time to come up with a good counter before he pinned both of them behind my back with one hand.

I growled, Embry smirking at our sexy but compromising position. I was sitting in his lap, our chests brushing on occasion, my long, thick, waves wild around my face and torso, our faces centimeters apart.

"Then what do you suggest?" I hissed lowly.

"Peace offering."

"Consisting of?"

"You quit trying to kill me."

"And you quit breathing down my neck?"

"Why would I ever do that?"

I started growling immediately, struggling against his hold, but Embry had my hands bound, no escape possible.

"You were holding out on me." I smirked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Until you tried walking away."

"So that's how it's gonna be?"

"For the rest of your life."

"I want you to leave." I said angrily, my breathing heavy.

"Don't say that unless you mean it." Embry growled, his eyes glaring. Our breath filled the air for a moment, not a sound around us as the tension buzzed in anticipation.

"I want you to leave." I said again, my heart slowing.

"I don't believe you."

"Leave."

"Don't say it unless you-"

"I mean it." I hissed.

"You lie."

"You said if I meant it-"

"If you meant it, you would've said so the first time around." Embry countered, still not letting me go, his face still angry. I shifted slightly, noticing he'd slackened his grip a bit, giving me an inch more to move. My jaw clenched as I leveled myself with him, not afraid to be close anymore.

"Why are you here?" I snarled quietly.

"I'm here because you called me," Embry said sternly. I turned my face from him stubbornly, refusing to cave. "I had to make sure you were okay."

"You should've stayed at home."

"That wasn't what you wanted last night."

"You should've stayed home." I repeated.

"It wasn't an option."

"It is now," I shot. "Go."

"Can't do that." Embry said simply, standing with me still wrapped around his body, releasing my arms. Without thinking, I wrapped them around his neck, not moving from my spot.

"Why the hell not?"

"I'm not going anywhere, Kitty. Get over it." He shrugged, setting me on my feet.

"Why can't you just leave?" I demanded.

"Because you don't want me to!" Embry shot, staring me dead in the eye, his face serious again. "Dammit, Arbor why are you so stubborn?"

"Why are you so annoying?"

"I'M the annoying one? You run off to Eli's house, God knows what the hell he's doing, going crazy and what-not? And then you KISS him? You KISSED HIM, Arbor, and IM the annoying one?" he shouted, starting to shake slightly.

"HE kissed ME, and that has NOTHING TO DO WITH US!"

"DOESN'T IT? WHO THE HELL TOLD YOU NOT TO GO ALONE, HMM? Notice how something ALWAYS happens when you go alone?"

"God damn, this is EXACTLY what I get for calling you in the first place."

"WHOA WHOA WHOA, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT YOU WENT APESHIT IN THE MUD LAST NIGHT."

"YOU'RE MAD THAT I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED, EMBRY."

"NONE OF US DO, WHICH IS WHY WE SHOULDN'T BE FIGHTING."

"YOU PUSHED ME. YA PUSHED ME, EMBRY, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW."

"Oh HEEEEEERE WE GO. EEEEEEVERYTHING IS MY FAULT."

"I am so SICK OF YOU!"

"WILL BOTH OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP?" Dad screamed, having phased back with the others.

I turned away from both of them, folding my arms.

"We need to get her home."

"Home? I can't go home like this." I shot, staring at him stupidly.

"Why the Hell not?"

"Are you kidding? Mom's gonna have a heart attack, Dad. What happens if I flip a shit inside the house?"

"She's right, we don't even know what she is yet." Quil shrugged as Collin handed him a 20 dollar bill.

"I want her home."

"She's not going home if she doesn't want to, Sam." Embry shot, my Dad glaring furiously at him.

"She's my daughter, Embry."

"Do I even have to counter that?" Embry challenged, leaving me unsure of what he meant. Dad looked even angrier, starting to shake worse than Embry was.

"Dad," I cut in, trying to calm him. His eyes flickered to me, but only for a moment. "Dad you need to calm down."

"And YOU need to go home and get some sleep."

"THIS ISN'T THE GOD DAMN FLU!" Embry yelled, whirling on my father. The two were standing face to face, and I felt my face twist up in confusion. Wasn't Dad taller than Embry? At least I thought he was. Only months ago I could've sworn I'd seen him at least a couple inches under my father, but now he was nearly 6 above him, making my Dad look like Adam.

"SHE'S GOING HOME."

"YOU CAN'T RUN FROM IT ANYMORE, SAM. SHE'S GOING TO CARLISLE." There was something in Embry's voice that shook the entire forest, all of the animals halting in their happy noises immediately. It was dead silent in the field, my father seeming to shrink back somewhat against Embry's voice. My jaw hit the floor, realization washing over me.

"You're the new Alpha." I shot, eying the both of them.

They were still shooting daggers at each other, shaking wildly as I shoved myself between them, trying to make distance. Embry's eyes flickered between me and my father angrily, finally resting on mine.

"Yeah, so?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never gave me the chance to! You're so busy throwing a fit and making assumptions that I never get to speak!"

"When have I ever made assumptions about the Pack?"

"The Imprint."

"That's different." I hissed, crossing my arms and looking away.

"That's IMPORTANT."

"It's stupid." I shot, turning to walk away with my father.

"One day ago you said she was lucky." Embry yelled deeply, catching me by the elbow. I stared hard at the ground away from him, heat flooding my cheeks and tears pricking at my eyes again. "Arbor," Embry pleaded, his voice suddenly soft as he tugged on my elbow. I kept my eyes towards the ground. "Arbor," he murmured, grabbing my face gently and turning to him. "One day ago you said she was lucky." He repeated, his face falling.

"One day ago I also told you to leave."

"Until you needed me."

"And I don't need you now." I hissed, my eyes flaring. Embry knitted his eyes together, his heart beating thicker as he bit his lip.

"Don't you?" he whispered, blinking back the hurt. I was lost in his determined eyes, the fight in me dying slowly.

"If we're gonna go, we need to go now." Dad interrupted, Embry releasing his grip on me.

I stumbled towards my father, my eyes still locked on Embry's as we began our walk to the Cullen's. Embry was silent the entire way there, me staring at my feet while the others talked about what had happened last night.

"It was like I could feel everything she did, but that doesn't usually happen." Quil murmured.

"Right. Even if our minds our linked I've never actually _felt _for anybody." Sam added. We trudged up the vampires' front steps, Carlisle meeting us in the kitchen, a surprised expression on his face.

"You're lucky," he murmured, checking my vitals. "I've never heard a case like yours where someone survives."

"But you _have _heard a case."

"Sort of. It seems much like that of a vampire, actually. Every fiber in your body's been reconditioned, improved well beyond usual human capability. You're at an inhuman peak, something most Olympic stars could only hope to achieve."

"But I'm not going to phase?"

"I don't think so. If that were the case, you would've done it last night."

"Then what do you think is wrong with me?"

"Nothing's _wrong _with you," Carlisle laughed lightly. "The werewolf gene seems to have activated but only to a certain extent."

"Great, I'm still the only girl." Leah griped.

"I supposed you could say that. Being able to read the minds of your family counts as becoming part of the pack, I suppose."

"Please, Kitty was part of the Pack long before then." Quil teased, nudging me. I rolled my eyes at him. Carlisle's eyes flickered to my own, and I caught him marveling at the color once more.

"It seems like you've got all the physical attributes of being a wolf without having to leave your human form." He murmured curiously.

"Lucky." Michael griped in the background. I crossed my arms, uncomfortable at the thought of being inspected. Carlisle kept his eyes on me, poking and prodding wherever he got extremely curious before I got sick of my new hair brushing against my sides and threw it up in a sloppy bun on top of my head, starting to swing my feet back and forth over the medical table.

"Sam." Embry hissed suddenly, moving towards me. I tried to turn and face the crowd, but Embry's hand came down hot on my neck, holding me in place. "Quit it!" he ordered as I tried to struggle against his hold. The rest of the Pack was gasping, struggling to get a front row seat to see the back of my neck.

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded, still trying to turn around. Embry finally let go of my neck, Carlisle tossing me two mirrors just in time for my Dad to start shaking again.

"She's been branded." Embry growled, sweeping me up before I could examine the skin. I coiled against his chest immediately, forgetting that I was angry at him as he bolted down the steps with me in his arms.

"Embry we still have to-"

"We don't have time!" Embry yelled over his shoulder, cutting Carlisle off. I stared back at the Pack as they followed us with worried expressions, wondering what the Hell was going on and what Branding was.

"Embry." I said, trying to get his attention. He ignored me. "Embry." I was batting at his chest lightly now, and he still wouldn't look at me. "Embr-"

"WHAT?" He demanded, whirling around to face the Pack. They all shot him confused looks, Brady pointing to me before surprise washed over Embry's face. He turned to me, still cooped in his arms, his brows knitting together. "What?" He asked again, gentler now.

"What's Branded?"

Embry looked like he was stuck between a rock and a hard spot.

"It's just uhm….It's when…."

"It's an old Legend," Leah cut in. "It means you're part of the Pack now. We had to get you out of there before your Dad phased again, kid. Sorry, but you'll have to get used to the tempers."

My eyes flickered to Embry's for reassurance that I wasn't being lied to, and he nodded reluctantly, although something in the back of my mind told me there was more to the story as we trudged through the forest.

We were nearly there, the clouds calling down at us overhead like they usually did when our heads snapped up in sync, all aimed towards the same direction. Embry set me on my feet, a deadly growl ripping through his chest as he glared into the trees. He pushed me slightly behind him, starting to shake while the others just looked slightly concerned, especially Dad and Sam. It only took me a moment to figure out why.

Adam broke through the trees, stumbling almost drunkenly around the grass. I narrowed my eyes at him, feeling my eyebrows knit together in confusion as he threw up whatever he'd eaten. Adam turned and grabbed his head, wincing as if he was starting up a headache.

"Somebody take me home." He groaned painfully.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked gently, making my way towards him. Embry threw his hand out in front of me, stopping me in my path, but I ducked under it anyway, lifting my brother's face up. It was twisted in pain. Adam looked like he hadn't slept in a month, the bags under his eyes were darker than I'd ever thought possible. He made Elissa look like a beauty queen.

"I woke up outside," Adam grunted, rubbing his eyes. "I just wanna go home."

"Okay." I nodded, putting one of his arms around my shoulders and effortlessly helping him walk back to the Cullen's.

"What are you doing?" Embry demanded. I shot him a look.

"We're gonna need a car, Em. I don't think he can make the walk."

"You aren't taking him alone." Embry shot, moving towards us. I rolled my eyes. There was really no point in arguing with him. If I _did _end up getting in trouble, he'd never let me live it down.

Adam whined the entire mile back to the Cullen's house, and after an hour of harassment, we'd finally convinced Emmett to let us take his Jeep. Embry climbed behind the steering wheel as I sat in the back with Adam's head in my lap, stroking his hair.

"You're a little warm." I murmured, pressing the back of my hand against his cheek for a moment.

"I feel like I'm on fire." Adam groaned quietly. I kissed his temple, humming the lullaby Mom always sang to us when we were little and couldn't fall asleep. Adam smiled lightly.

"I almost forgot about that," He murmured softly. "Reminds me of the days where nobody kept secrets."

"I know," I whispered painfully, pausing in my moments for a moment. Embry's eyes flickered to mine sadly in the rearview mirror. "Adam I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." I murmured.

"I wanna know what's going on."

"I know…I just…we just need more time…"

"I don't have time, kid." He grunted quietly, starting to cough. I shook my head furiously, placing my free hand on the top of his head while the other continued stroking.

"Don't say that," I choked out, glancing out the window. "Don't say anything like that, Adam. You're fine, everybody's fine. What does it matter as long as everybody's safe?"

"Everybody's not safe, Kitty. I can feel it. Something's coming, kid. Something's coming for everybody." His voice was coarse and husky, like he'd had a sore throat for months.

"Adam don't-"

"Just listen to me, alright?" He pleaded, turning to me slightly, his eyes gleaming with desperation. "Something's wrong. I don't know what it is but nothing about it is normal."

"You're gonna scare her, Adam." Embry warned from the front seat, glancing at us in the rearview mirror.

"Stay out of it, kid." Adam growled, shooting him a look, his frame starting to tremble lightly.

"Adam calm down-"

"Don't tell me to calm down Kitty this son of a bitch has been around long enough."

"Adam you have to-"

"YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT!" Adam yelled, his voice suddenly deepening. I was clinging to my brother, doing everything I could to keep him from having a seizure.

"Kitty get out of the car," Embry ordered urgently, slamming on the breaks, the car swerving to one side. "Get out of the car now!"

"Adam come on look at me, breathe!" I yelled, still clinging to him.

"Kitty get out of the God damn car now!" Embry yelled throwing open his door.

"LISTEN TO HIM!" Adam screamed, nearly shoving me across the seat. I scrambled against the door, fumbling with the handle furiously but the damn child safety lock was on and there was no way I was gonna get out in time. I shoved my elbow through the window, wincing not at the sting, but at the sound of Adam's spine as it jolted itself out of place, glass raining down on both of us.

Embry was pacing outside, tearing at my car door viciously as we both struggled to get it open. I swatted at the remaining glass, starting to pull myself through the window before looking back.

I wish I hadn't.

Adam wasn't Adam anymore. His body was massive, growing by the second as he shook furiously. He was screaming, Embry tearing at my door still. I started pulling myself through the small opening, clinging to the roof of the car when Adam literally _exploded,_ the tan, tall, brother that I knew being transformed into a giant furry beast. His jaws snapped at the seat in front of him, his back paw stretching backwards, a claw catching me in the jaw as the door exploded off its hinges with me on top of it. I went flying through the air, clinging to the door as it hit the pavement.

Adam was tearing the car apart, Embry nudging me quickly to my feet as my brother's roaring split through the air. I stumbled backwards, my eyes locking on Adam's gnashing teeth. My body went into defense mode immediately, and I found myself crouching on the ground, waiting to lunge if that's what it came to. The hood of the car landed next to me, nearly catching me in the face although I barely moved or winced.

Adam finally fought his way out of the vehicle, Emmett's favorite Jeep laying in pieces all across the road as a giant, salt and pepper colored wolf stood before us. He was growling viciously, his mind racing with a million thoughts at once.

_Calm down. _ Embry ordered, his Alpha tone sending a seductive chill down my spine. Adam whimpered, his nose falling to the ground. He struggled under Embry's hold, but it was a solid one, and after a few minutes Adam gave up the fight, collapsing into a heap on the ground.

_What the Hell is wrong with me?_ He whimpered lightly, his eyes flickering between Embry and I frantically.

"Adam, breathe." I pleaded, standing up straight again. Adam nodded, doing as I said lightly.

_What are you feeling?_ Embry asked, gently but stern.

_Scared. Like I'm about to be jumped or something, you know, adrenaline pumping everywhere. But I feel like I have to follow you._

_What do you mean?_

_Like I should listen to you. Go wherever you do._

_Good, _Embry murmured. _At least he's got a somewhat level head….Adam, the sooner you calm yourself down, the sooner you'll be able to phase back, alright?_

_YOU MEAN IF I NEVER CALM DOWN I'LL BE STUCK LIKE THI-_

"ADAM." I snapped viciously, cutting him off. My tone wasn't my own, and even Embry shrunk back a tad.

_Sorry, sorry….I just…I can't think straight._

_Come on, we'll go for a run,_ Embry suggested, starting to trot off with my brother in tow. _Kitty, run home. Don't stop, alright? Not even if you think you hear or see us. Just go home._

I flickered my gaze to his, my guard starting to build itself back up in such a quick manner that within seconds, I was as indifferent to him as I was any other boy. I tried not to think about him, tried to forget his perfect face and silky voice as I sped through the forest, the trees nothing but a blur around me. Within seconds, I was back at home, the speed I possessed now astonishing me like nothing else ever had. I trotted into the house, Dad and the others breezing past me.

"We have to go get Adam." Dad murmured, kissing me on the cheek.

"See ya soon Kit-Kat." Collin waved.

"See me soon?" I asked, shooting them a confused look.

"Dinner party!" Quil called over his shoulder. I rolled my eyes, groaning. Dinner party. I'd completely forgotten about that. I ran my fingers through my long hair, still marveling at the change that had washed over my body.

"Arbor?"

My head snapped to Mom, who was standing in the doorway, lasagna platter in hand with her jaw on the ground.

"Ahh…hey…Momma…"

"Wowwww." She marveled, setting the food on the table and pulling off her oven mitts, walking towards me. "Wow."

"I know."

"How do you feel?" she asked, poking at my cheek.

"Different."

"I expected that a little."

"Do you like it?"

"Do I like it?" Mom asked, shooting me a look. "Why would you ask me that, Love? Of course I like it, it's you."

"Really?"

"Honey I'd love you even if you looked like a troll."

"So _that's _why you tolerate Adam."

"Oh stop it," she laughed, hitting me gently on the shoulder. "I was worried about you, Kitty."

"I know. I'm sorry." I murmured, staring at her sober eyes. She pulled me close to her, burying her small face in my shoulder.

"Kitty what I said at the beginning of the-"

"Mom," I laughed, pulling away from her gently. "You had a point."

"But I didn't," she said harshly. "Nobody deserves to hear something like that and I just have no idea what came over me. I was so worried you'd have to follow your Dad's footsteps that I became obsessed with keeping you as normal as I could. I was trying to fit you into a mold when Lord knows you weren't built for one. You're beautiful, Love. Exactly how you are and you don't ever forget that, alright?"

"I don't feel so beautiful." I murmured, looking down.

"Ask Embry, he'll tell you." Mom said slyly, smiling at me.

"Embry has an Imprint." I sighed, crossing my arms and leaning against the kitchen doorway as Mom scuttled about the food.

"Does he now?" she laughed lightly.

"I didn't think it was that funny." I grumbled, staring at my feet.

"Arbor trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about." She smiled.

"What are you talking about?"

"He can tell you better than I can." she said, glancing up at me from the stove.

"So what do I do?"

"Ask him," She shrugged simply. "And listen. Let him speak before you beat him." She laughed. I bit my lip.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

I sighed, kissing her on the forehead before jogging up the stairs and breezing into my room. It felt unfamiliar, like I was at a hotel or something. The pictures of Melissa and Anna that littered the wall belonged to someone else-a strange girl smiling next to them in each photo. I ripped one from the wall and shoved it to the mirror, my eyes flickering between the two girls. I wasn't me anymore. I mean I was, but I wasn't. It looked like I'd gotten a complete makeover, literally _everything_ had changed in one way or another.

I sighed, crumbling the small picture in my hand and throwing myself onto the bed. There were so many things I'd thought of, so many words I'd sorted out that I wanted to use when Embry showed up, but no matter which combination I came up with, my nerves weren't eased. How weird would it be that all of the sudden I took an interest in his Imprint after nearly a week of shoving the very mention of it away? I pulled on a blue plaid shirt and some jean shorts, barely able to get the pants to fit around my brand-new backside. I saw my favorite necklace laying on the vanity, deciding that now was a better time than ever to put it on seeing as it'd always made me feel better since Dad gave it to me on Christmas 6 years ago.

"Dammit." I murmured, fiddling with the clasp around the back of my neck.

"Need help?"

I jumped at the sound of Embry's voice, the small necklace clattering to the floor in a silver heap.

"Sorry." He laughed, nervously and quiet. I watched as he made his way to me slowly as if not to frighten me away, crouching down at my feet to pick up the small silver chain with a butterfly in its center. Embry crouched down at my feet, standing slowly, not taking his dark eyes off of mine. He reached a hand around my neck gently, pulling my hair across one shoulder and fastening the clasp behind my neck.

"Perfect." He murmured, our faces inches apart. Why did we always end up in this position?

"I…have to ask some questions." I whispered, barely able to get the words out with his chiseled jaw and lips so close to mine.

"Ask away." He challenged, not moving from his spot.

"It's about the Imprint."

"What could you possibly want to know about my Imprint?" he asked softly. My body was almost shaking with adrenaline, my heart picking up pace.

"I wanna know who it is."

"Why?"

"Embry I wanna know who it-"

"Why?"

"Because I need to know it's not me." I shot honestly, the words coming out before I could stop them. Embry clenched his jaw, not taking his eyes off me.

"That's too bad." He growled lowly. I shook my head, tears pricking at my eyes.

"You're an ass."

"You think I'm lying?"

"I know you are."

"How so, Kitty, when you never even let me finish a sentence?"

"You're lying, Embry."

"What are you afraid of?" He breathed, moving as close to me as possible. Tears were streaming down my face quicker than ever, every emotion I'd ever felt suddenly brought to an all new height.

"Embry don't-"

"God dammit, Kitty. What the hell is your aversion to letting people in? Huh? Why won't you let yourself like anybody?"

"Because the last time I did I couldn't have him!" I cried, staring up at him through thick lashes.

"Oh, God. Arbor you should've-"

"Get out of here." I hissed, still crying, furious that I'd let someone see me in this state.

"I'm not going anywhere," Embry said firmly. "I told you it was you, Kitty. I said it and I meant it, don't make me explain why."

"Quit, please quit!"

"I know it's uncomfortable but you have to trust me," he breathed, pressing his forehead to mine as I shook my head. "It's because of the way you look when you get frustrated. It's because of the things you'd murmur in your sleep, the way you start smiling when I play the guitar in your window. It's because of the way prance around like you're 8 feet tall, even though you're shorter than all of us."

"It's not right, it doesn't fit, we don't-"

" It's because you're the bravest person I know, and the most beautiful-GOD, the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my entire life. Your eyes are the deadliest things I've ever seen, Kitty. The second you set them on somebody, they're frozen in their place. It doesn't matter who or what, you're like a witch, some sort of Goddess the way you own everybody around you without even trying. They follow you wherever you go, and that includes me. I'll follow you anywhere, woman. I swear."

"You're wrong!"

"TELL ME TO LEAVE THEN!" He yelled, his Alpha tone scaring me senseless.

I tried pulling away from him, his words starting to make my heart far too happy for my comfort.

"No! If you're making me watch you walk away, I'm making you say it." he yelled, grabbing me by the elbow and pulling me back to him.

"Tell me it doesn't feel right." He murmured, bringing his lips to mine quickly, his other hand weaving itself through the back of my hair as our lips worked together. "Tell me it feels like you still want me to leave."

I couldn't do it. Even if I wanted to, the words would've come out broken and empty of truth. My skin was hot, his was hotter, his lips going ferociously at my own. He felt like a madman, one desperate for me, and I could only imagine what I felt like as I finally reciprocated the kiss, ripping my elbow from his grip and winding my fingers through his hair, pulling him towards me as close as possible. Embry's hands found my waist, gripping my back as our breathing picked up, both hearts starting to beat quicker and quicker as our bodies stung for each other, adrenaline rushing through my body like it was on vibrate.

"Come on," Embry teased, backing his lips away from mine for a moment, our foreheads pressed together. "Tell me to go."

"I hate you."

"Say it again," He breathed, daring me, his lips coming to mine only seconds later. "Come on, Kitty, say it." He hissed, backing us towards the door. He tried untangling me from his body, but I fought back ferociously, beating on his chest until he grabbed my wrists and shoved his mouth back to mine, intertwining us once again.

Embry ripped away from me, pulling the door open, but my hand came down on it heavily, and it slammed shut as I wove myself between him and the wood, refusing to let him leave. Embry's hands found my thighs, hitching them up around his waist as he pressed me against the door, his lips working at my neck and jaw.

"I hate you." I seethed quietly, gripping onto his shoulders as a burning for him started in between my thighs.

"Then tell me to go."

"Go."

"Never."

I ripped the buttons off of his shirt viciously, my hands clawing at his bare, beautiful chest.

"Your Mom bought me that shirt." He whined quietly against my lips, shrugging the rest of it off of his shoulders.

"She'll live."

"Will you?" he asked seductively, pinning my wrists above my head. His free hand nearly tore my shorts off, the pair falling to the floor in tatters as he slipped a finger underneath my thong, a gasp flying past my lips immediately. Embry's lips ran themselves along my neck and collar bone as I leaned my head back against the door, my thighs clenching together around his waist.

"Oh my God." He breathed hungrily, my _scent _starting to fill the room. He added another finger, and I tore my wrists away from the door, moaning as my arms flew around his neck, my lips overpowering his. I pushed off the door with such force that Embry had to dig his heels into the ground.

I moved faster than he could comprehend, flipping him onto the bed, my tongue running up his torso as he moaned, shifting underneath me, his hands gripping my backside.

"MELISSA AND ANNA ARE HERE!" Mom called from downstairs.

"Kitty we have to stop." Embry breathed, barely able to make out the words.

"Says who?" I challenged, biting at his throat. Embry moaned louder this time, sitting up with me straddling his lap.

"Kitty I swear-"

"Soon, then." I breathed, staring at him. Our heavy breathing filled the air.

"Soon, Love, I promise. Just not tonight." He murmured, brushing his lips against mine.

I ran my thumbs over his cheeks, soaking in as much of him as I possibly could. He was so…beautiful. There was just no way to explain it, no way to put it into words how lucky I felt. I'd been a complete and total ass, been bitchier to Embry that I had anybody else in my entire life, yet he was still sitting here and tolerating it all.

"Did you mean what you said?" He asked quietly, giving me a sheepish look.

"Did I mean what?"

"Did you mean it when you said my Imprint was lucky?"

"Anybody with eyes knows that I'm lucky." I murmured, looking down at my lap. Embry beamed at me, kissing my forehead before scooping us off the bed and handing me a new pair of shorts. He frowned, looking down at his tattered shirt.

"Jeez, Kitty…"

"I'm not yet accustomed to my new physical capabilities?" I tried, shooting him a nervous smile. Embry laughed, running his fingers through his beautiful dark hair and taking my hand.

"It's not like I really wear clothes anyway." He shrugged, leading me down the stairs.


	15. All In The Family

We entered the dining room, everyone crowding the table, arguing about whether Superman or Batman was the better superhero.

"Batman." I cut in loudly, clearing my throat. Everyone's eyes flickered to us, Anna smiling broadly while Melissa winked at me.

"HA!" Quil smiled, flicking Michael in the forehead.

"Oh zip it both of you!" Sam whined, swatting Quil on the back of his head, another argument erupting.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Adam cried, his jaw hitting the floor as he flailed towards me and Embry. I shot him a sheepish look, Embry looking everywhere around the room to avoid my brother's eyes. "NO, NO, NO," Adam whined, shoving in between us. "AN HOUR AGO YOU HATED EACH OTHER. LET'S GO BACK TO THAT, YES? HAPPY TIMES. HAPPY, HAPPY TIMES." He demanded loudly, squishing his hand against my cheek as he struggled to pull Embry away from me.

"He's worse than Timothy." Melissa scoffed, rolling her eyes. Adam stopped pushing us a part immediately, leaving me to nearly crash to the floor. Embry caught my arm easily, putting me back on my feet while Adam's jaw hit the ground.

"Adam what are you-" I cut myself off, my eyes flickering between him and Melissa. They were staring at each other wide-eyed, as if they were witnessing the birth of Jesus himself. Melissa's usually light cheeks flared a bright crimson, Adam rocking back on his heels and wolf-whistling at her.

"How old is she again?" Adam whispered to me.

"She's 16."

"That ass don't look like it belongs to a 16 year o-."

"ADAM BRAEDON ULEY." I hissed, lunging at him. Embry pulled me backwards, Adam ducking just out of my reach as he leveled himself with Melissa.

"Adam." He smirked, biting his lip. Melissa looked like she was about to pee herself in utter joy.

"Melissa." She choked.

"Remember to breathe." Anna grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"I think we should-"

"Take a walk." Melissa hustled, Adam grabbing her hand and nearly yanking them out of the room.

"Don't follow them!" I warned as Anna started after them. "You don't wanna know what they're doing."

Anna's eyes widened in horror as she re-navigated herself towards the kitchen to help Mom.

"Great!" Collin whined, throwing his face down on the table. "That's 7 out of 12 wolves."

"What's wrong with that?" I asked, leaning against Embry's chest.

"Nothing's _wrong _with it, it's just that it's not fair that the rest of us can't have girlfriends while some of you get to make googly eyes at each other all day."

"Nobody said you couldn't have a girlfriend." Embry shrugged.

"What's the point if you're gonna turn around and hurt her?"

"Thank you!" Leah cried throwing her hands into the air. Dad growled at her.

"What?" she demanded, nearly knocking him over in his chair. "You know I'm right."

Dad rolled his eyes and left the room, muttering something about needing to speak with Leah downstairs.

"At least they're willing to be in the same room together." I shrugged happily, wincing three seconds later when someone phased, shattering one of Mom's favorite vases. "Spoke too soon…"

"Hey, hey! WATCH THE VASES!" Mom cried, throwing herself down the steps. There was a whimper and a series of _louder_ crashes as both wolves downstairs tried to escape Mom's wrath. There was a loud ringing noise coming from the kitchen.

"Turkey's done." I murmured, wiggling out of Embry's arms. He pulled me back immediately, trailing kisses all over my face before finally letting me go.

I kept staring over my shoulder at him, never wanting to leave my new boyfriend. When I finally rounded the corner and slipped the turkey out of the oven, it had felt like years since I'd seen him.

"Oreos?" Seth asked, waltzing through the double doors. I nodded towards the pantry, pulling off my oven mitts. Seth opened the pantry, then slammed it shut, eyes wide open. I knit my eyebrows together.

"Seth?"

"I DON'T WANT THOSE COOKIES ANYMORE." He cried loudly, throwing his back against the door. I shoved him out of the way, throwing the door open.

My jaw hit the floor, Melissa and Adam were swallowing each other's faces, her shirt was already half way off.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU-"

"JUST TAKE THE COOKIES AND GET OUT!" Adam yelled, throwing the pack at me before he and Melissa went back at it. I stood there for a moment, silently praying my best friend didn't get devoured as Seth slammed the door in front of me.

"Oh sweet Jesus," he cried, throwing his face in his hands. "I'm too young to see all this."

"Seth, you're 24."

"I'M SIXTEEN."

"Technically, you're 2-"

"TOO YOUNG TO SEE ALL THIS."

"You're a baby. Here." I countered, throwing him the Oreos. Seth swatted them to the ground in mid-air, screeching.

"THOSE COOKIES ARE TAINTED."

"I'M GONNA TAINT YOUR FACE IF YOU DON'T PICK UP MY DAMN-"

"HEY, HEY," Embry cut in, catching me as I lunged for Seth's face. "Temper, temper, temper," Em laughed. I shot him a deadly glare, hoping he'd feel the burn. "You gotta learn to control it, KitKat. Otherwise you'll end up slaughtering the whole town."

My face fell.

"You really think I'll do it?"

"You're perfectly capable," Seth shrugged. "Hell, all of us are. Who knows, seeing as nobody understands what the hell you are yet."

"I know what she is," Embry murmured. "She's perfect."

Seth rolled his eyes and cried something about sex being everywhere he turned as Embry and I went at it like two starving dogs. He set me on the counter, squeezing my backside as I clenched my thighs around him, tangling my fingers in his hair. He winced as Pepper swatted at him, hissing.

"I hate that damn cat." He grumbled as she wedged herself between us, purring cozily in my lap. I laughed at him, stroking her fur.

"You're just protecting your mama, aren't you? Aren't you?" I cooed to her, kissing the top of her furry head.

Embry rolled his eyes and started picking through the fridge, shooting me a look when a loud crash came from the pantry.

"Adam." I grumbled, rolling my eyes. Embry's jaw hit the floor.

"IN THERE?" he yell-whispered, eyes wide. I nodded. "Boy, he's creative."

"Ew!" I cried, throwing a spoon at his back. Mom came into the kitchen, towing Dad and Leah by their ears before throwing them into chairs at the breakfast bar, both of them grumbling like two year olds.

"Now I am going to finish cooking and YOU TWO are going to behave like ADULTS," she yelled, throwing two cups down on the counters in front of them. "TALK IT OUT."

"Only you could pour orange juice angrily." Dad sighed dreamily, staring at her. Mom's angry expression faded, and she beamed at him, the both of them cooing to each other in seconds.

"Hey, HEY THIS ISN'T FAIR!" Leah cried. "SHE'S BYIST!"

"Fine," Mom pursed her lips, grabbing Embry by the back of the head and tossing him to them. "Embry's your new judge. State your cases."

Embry was literally thrown to the wolves, both of them yelling their sides in a matter of seconds. I laughed, my poor baby wincing at the shrill sound of Leah's voice while Dad tried to overpower her with his.

"Sweetie, have you seen the potatoes?" Mom asked heading for the pantry.

"MOM NO!" I screamed, flinging myself off the counter. It was too late. Everything in her hands hit the ground, along with her jaw. Melissa screamed, all the flour and sugar on the top shelf tumbling over as Adam jumped four feet into the air. Chips and salsa and noodles and salt and sugar rained down on both half-naked criminals, their cheeks burning crimson.

"ADAM BRAEDON ULEY!" Mom screamed, shocking Leah and Dad out of their ranting.

The room grew extremely silent. At one point, Sam had walked into the kitchen, came across our scene, and then pivoted on back out the door silently, not wanting to be a part of whatever new mess we'd gotten ourselves into.

"Ooooo…hoo hoo hoo hahahahahahahah." I laughed nervously, falling into a full-blown giggle fit on the floor. Dad shot me a confused look before bursting out into laughter himself. Leah almost started crying, she was giggling so hard. Embry was holding onto the counter for support as he laughed harder than I'd ever seen in my entire life. Even Mom was laughing at this point, all of us so loud that half the Pack poked their heads into the kitchen to see what'd happened.

"What the Hell is this?" Collin laughed, poking around the sugar on the floor.

"Adam got caught doing the dirty in the pantry."

"I AM NEVER EATING HERE AGAIN." Seth cried, fleeing the room.

By the time we'd gotten everything cleaned up, the guests had arrived. Claire, her parents, Quil's parents, Michael's parents, Collin and Brady's aunt and Brady's parents, Embry's mom, Grandma, Grandma on Dad's side, Jacob, Renesmee, a few of the Cullens, almost everybody in La Push who knew about the wolves was present.

I breezed past Sue Clearwater, shooting her a smile as I headed for the six tables of food Mom had prepared. I know, I know, it seems like a lot, but by the time the Pack boys were done, there were barely two tables left for the other guests.

"Leave it to your Mom to go overboard." Dad sighed, kissing me on the forehead.

"Dad. You had seven plates." I said flatly, laughing at him. Dad rolled his eyes.

"I married a great cook! Especially those muffins….mmm those muffins…It's not my fault!"

"You'd eat her muffins even if they came out looking like burnt hockey pucks."

"You mean like the time YOU tried to make them?" Adam shot, piling food onto his own plate. I rolled my eyes at him, kicking him under the table. "Ahh, balls, what the hell was that for?" he whined.

"Where's Melissa?"

Adam's eyes went frantic as he whirled around to look for her, his frame shaking slightly.

"Their tempers are always horrid when they first phase." Sue groaned, rolling her eyes as she sipped her lemonade.

"As if they get any better afterwards," Mom laughed. "Just this morning they broke one of my vases. MY FAVORITE, to be exact."

"No they did not!" Sue gasped, shooting my Dad a look. He winced slightly, fleeing the scene before Hell was reigned down upon him for a second time that day.

"I swear you two instill more fear in these boys than any vampire ever could." I laughed, sitting at the table in between them. Sue winked at me, Mom beaming triumphantly.

"It's what we're here for," Sue smiled. "Not that you haven't done the same to Embry."

"What?" I shot her a look, knitting my eyebrows together in innocence.

"Oh please, Arbor. I've seen the way he looks at you. He's whipped."

"He is not…whipped…" I grumbled. "He just likes me, that's all."

"Likes you?" Mom laughed. "Kitty you clearly have no idea what Imprinting means."

"Explain it then." I ordered curiously, popping a strawberry in my mouth as Mom shifted in her seat.

"Have you ever seen the way your Daddy looks at me?" she asked. I nodded. "It's like that. Since the first day he saw you, Embry's never quit pestering your Dad about you. He was scared, oh boy was he scared to tell your father, but you were worth it and he knew that."

"How'd Dad take it?" I asked, remembering that day in the hospital.

"He was furious, that's for sure. It was the whole reason he'd refused to move us back to La Push. He didn't want you to be dragged into this."

"Looks like it would've happened regardless." I murmured, catching my reflection in the window. Mom shrugged.

"Your Dad was willing to risk that, as long as it meant you weren't _tied _to this life."

"Tied?"

"Embry's the Alpha of Jacob's pack now, Kitty. There's no way he could just leave it, not unless somebody asked him to."

"Who would ask him to leave his Pack?"

"You could."

"What? Why the Hell would I-"

"It's not uncommon, Love," Sue cut in. "Often times Pack members stop phasing in order to grow old with their loved ones."

"He'd do it for me?"

"Of course he would. He's in love with you."

My heart skipped a beat at the sound of those words, even though my arrhythmia had vanished like any other physical ailments had last night. In love with me? What the hell did love even mean? What would I want with it? Love just meant you weren't able to think straight, that you'd do something utterly ridiculous for someone who has all the power in the world to shut you down.

I shook my head to myself, everyone's attention turning to Sam as he took a microphone, hitting the karaoke stage.

"Now before the ladies get too excited, I'm not singing tonight."

"AWE COME ON!" someone's grandma cried in the back row. Sam's eyes went wide as he shifted uncomfortably.

"Like I was saying…no singing. I just wanted to thank everybody for coming out here. As you all know, it's always a good time when we can bring everybody together. I just want to say cheers to everybody's happiness, and cheers to my little sister." Sam smiled at me, raising his glass and waving me on stage.

I bounced up the few steps, smiling at the crowd as they clapped for me.

"So, we all know that _someone _is finally part of the family," Sam started, tussling my hair. "So we're going to play a game."

"What?" I asked, shooting him a look.

"Let's play guess the species!"

"I'm sorry, who said we coul-"

"Maybe she's only PART werewolf." Sue guessed loudly.

"Is she full wolf?"

"Wrong." Adam muttered, shaking his head at Mrs. Littlesea's guess.

"Third Wife?"

"Third Wife?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at Quil's grandpa. "You guys this is insane."

"Come on, Kitty. This is one of the few times we actually get to have everyone together without any trouble!"

"Wrong again." Adam said gravely.

Everyone turned to follow his gaze, everybody's eyes resting at the edge of the forest. I don't know what it was. I couldn't tell you where it came from, or what species it belonged to. The only thing I knew was that it'd brought friends. Tons of them. We were outnumbered by at least 20, even with all of us present. Their crimson eyes were flaring, their skin taking on an unusual warm glow from the lights in the house. My eyes locked on the yellow ones sticking out from the crowd, framed by a mass of black fur. It was human, but it wasn't. It stood on two legs, it's back arched, at least 7 feet tall covered in thick, jet black fur.

"What the hell?" Adam breathed angrily. "What the fuck is going on?"

"They didn't just come for a fight," Embry growled. "They came here for something more important. There's no way in Hell vampires would work together with one of those things for any other reason."

"Embry there's nothing here that could be useful to a vampire AND a child of the moon." Quil argued.

"Yes there is," Leah seethed, turning to face me. Everybody's face snapped up to my own, growls and snarls erupting through our small army. "And she's right in plain sight."

Sue screamed, complete chaos erupting as our enemies crossed the yard towards us. People were running, screeching, plates were breaking, lights were being knocked down as everyone struggled to find each other. Within seconds, the wolves and I had formed a full wall. Sam, Adam, and Collin were at my right, Quil and Brady on my left. Leah and Seth stood beneath us in front of the stage, Embry starting to shake viciously as he stood directly in front of me between Seth and Leah. I couldn't help but catch glances as everyone's faces, watch them as they fled, leaving their children, the youngest of our town, to defend them. Sue and Mom nearly had to drag away Mrs. Fuller, and Embry's mom was so confused that she put up no fight as Dad threw her over his shoulder and slung her into the house. They kept their noses pressed against the glass as the wolves phased around me, half of them never witnessing such a thing before never wanted this life for us. They would've lived it every day to its worst if it meant we'd never get a glimpse, but this was our destiny. It was our job to protect La Push, and it started here.


	16. All In The Family Part 2

**Hey guys! I know you've all been busy, but the last couple days were the first I'd gone without hearing from you guys and I was HEARTBROKEN D: But then I saw the HUGE jump today, and I was like yaaaaaaaaaaaaay they still love me and Embry! So, anyway, back to business, just wanted to remind you guys that I love when you all speak to me!**

**xox-Arbor**

* * *

><p>I hissed loudly, crouching into position as the wolves exploded around me, all of them growling and roaring in challenge. We were calling bets already, sorting out which ones we wanted to pick off first.<p>

_He's going for Kitty, the rest are distractions._

_I get the short one._

_The girl's mine, she looks like she knows how to pack a punch._

_Please let me grab a hold of the one who keeps eyeing Melissa, _Adam snarled ferociously. _He's all mine._

The vampires leveled their line with ours, the Child of the Moon snarling frantically in the arms of their two largest soldiers.

"How cute, you've got him on a leash." I growled, one blonde woman flickering her deadly eyes towards me.

"You didn't tell us she had friends, Vladimir." A tall, dark vampire hissed in the front, a thick Romanian accent coating his words.

"And here I thought you pests were nothing but legends." Vladimir smirked, his eyes gleaming.

"I get him." I growled, sending a deadly glare his way. Vladimir's eyes flickered to my face, a smile crossing his lips in amusement.

"What do we have here," he murmured deviously. "A little half breed of sorts?"

"Are you sure this is the one you want?" The other Romanian vampire asked, glancing at the Child of the Moon. The large wolf bared it's teeth, saliva glinting off it's canines as it's eyes focused dead in on my face.

"Oh yes, he's sure." Vladimir smiled.

We braced ourselves for the hit, adrenaline pumping through my veins as each of the vampires coiled to spring against us. The field was silent for a moment, cool air washing over us as the quiet sound of an unlocking cage catalyzed a war.

They moved first. I know that much. The first wave of them was filled with 12, 4 women and 8 men, all of them distractingly beautiful, especially with my new vision. Seth and Leah paired up immediately, Leah bounding over the head of two women while Seth took the front-and they were gone in seconds. We all split immediately, each of us going in our own different direction. They lined up purposefully, making the path towards Vladimir a rough one.

The first leech swung at my face, her claws nearly catching my cheek before I swung under her arm, elbowing her between the shoulder blades and sweeping my foot up behind me, catching it underneath her chin and sending her crashing to the ground. I tore her head off, using it as a shield when the next vampire in line swung at me. His fist was stuck in her skull, and I twisted it, sending him swirling through the air. While vampire two was distracted, I slid under the legs of the third, grabbing his ankle and pulling him towards me before whirling back around and slamming my foot against his back, the poor leech shattering underneath my force.

The second vampire was speeding back towards the ground now, his claws outstretched and aimed for my face. I pulled my arms around the neck of the fourth, yanking us towards the ground right as the second vampires claws dug into the fourth's ice cold shoulders, tearing her away from me. The man snarled, lunging for my throat before I dug my foot into his torso, throwing him to the ground next to me and mounting him, ready to pull off his face when the fifth vampire grabbed a hold of the back of my neck, ripping me from the ground.

The second vampire hissed in hunger, the fifth holding me in the air like bait as the second swung at me frantically. My feet locked around the second vampire's head, twisting until it popped off with an iron ripping noise. I shoved off of the second vampire's headless shoulders with my feet, flipping over the fifth and using him as a shield as the woman came back around, digging her fist into his torso. She yanked out a handful of marble, the fifth vampire screeching and dropping to his knees before I ripped his head off.

I threw it halfway across the field, nailing a redhead perfectly in the chest, the force of it throwing her backwards so Quil could finish her off. The woman screeched in frustration, clawing at me as I spun around the sixth, twisting his arm all the way behind his back and tearing, pulling it off in one giant shard. He wailed, the woman trying desperately to get around him as he flung himself about the field, writhing in pain. As he flailed out of the way for a split second, I grabbed hold of the woman as she lunged at me in mid-air, shoving her into the ground so hard her porcelain features cracked, rendering her paralyzed for the few seconds it took to wrap the man's marble arm around his own neck and pull, his neck turning into nothing but shards of marble as he sunk to the ground. I pivoted on my heels, throwing my fist into the center of the woman's face until it hit the ground, bits and pieces of her still writhing in the dirt.

Vladimir caught me by the wrist as I spun around to attack him, using my distraction of battle to his benefit.

"I'll have to admit you got here much quicker than I assumed possible."

"Hybrid, remember?" I hissed, glaring at him. His grip tightened to a new and painful level as I tried to wrench myself free.

"Now, now," he scolded, clicking his tongue. "Let's not get too feisty, my Love. I was promised something very important, something I want desperately."

"Mouthwash?" I suggested scornfully, glancing at his blood-soaked teeth.

"Something like that." He grinned, a crackle coming from the back of his cloak. I watched, my eyes widening in horror as the back of his clothing grew, two wing-like structures sprouting from his back. They were expandable, growing well over 3 feet long, with a milky, tan color that came to a razor-sharp point at the end.

"You've got to be joking…"I breathed, staring at the wings in horror. Vladimir laughed loudly, all of the wolves being temporarily distracted as their minds all flipped to an image of me with the massive creature.

The vampire's hand wrapped around my throat, lifting me clear off the ground as the tips of his wings stabbed at my face and torso tauntingly, Vladimir laughing loud enough that even a human 6 miles away could hear. I kicked my feet against his stone hard torso, nearly breaking a toe at one point when a loud growl erupted to my left. Vladimir and I both turned, the Child of the Moon standing two feet away from us, nothing but bloodlust lurking in its yellow eyes.

"Protective of the one you came for," Vladimir smirked. "I promise to be finished in a few minutes time."

_You don't have a few minutes._ Quil roared, lunging. One of the vampire's wings snapped outwards, sending Quil crashing against the forest floor as the rest of the Pack started to circle in around us. The Child snarled again, Vladimir beginning to back away slowly as his eyes widened.

"What's wrong," I hissed, prying at his fingers desperately. "You afraid of the big bad wolf?"

Vladimir cackled, the tip of one wing grazing my cheekbone. Embry snarled wickedly, lunging for him in a second. The vampire tried once more to swat him away, but Embry knew better, and he pounced, sending all three of us crashing to the forest floor. I rolled away, scrambling to my feet as the Child lurched towards me, both of us tumbling against the ground like weeds, nothing but jaws and nails snapping wildly. Embry gave a loud howl, Vladimir pressing his jaw hard into the ground while his eyes flickered wildly between us all. The Child took my moment of distraction to his advantage, pinning me, hovering over me like a cat to a mouse. I glanced at Vladimir and Embry.

_Don't move, kid. _Sam ordered.

_As if that were much of an option right now._

"Embry…" I whined quietly, the Child pressing down harder on my wrists when I said his name.

_Don't worry, Kitty. Nothing I can't handle. _Embry smiled lightly, trying to reassure me-although in his mind, I saw flashes of broken bones, wincing at the pain that wasn't my own.

"This is a warning, Hybrid," the leech hissed venomously, so pointed it almost stung. "We'll be back for you until I've reaped my benefits. Boy," the Child turned to face him, pulling his eyes away from mine for the first time in ten minutes. "We leave now."

Without another word, the same vampires holding him still earlier ripped the Child off of me, disappearing quickly into the night as Vladimir shot into the sky, blending into the black within seconds. I kept my place on the ground, Embry immediately trying to jump for me, but slumping to the ground anyway.

"You're gonna make it worse." Sam shot, pulling on a pair of cut-offs. I scrambled over to Embry as he whimpered on the ground, throwing a paw over his snout as the rest of the Pack boys surrounded him.

I dropped to my knees next to him, grabbing his copper face in my hands, wincing as he recoiled from any movement.

"It's my shoulder." He groaned as Adam helped him pull on a pair of shorts.

"We're gonna have to pop it back in now before his bone re-sets wrong." Sam muttered, rolling him over. Embry groaned, leaning his face against the grass while lacing his fingers in mine.

"Let her do it." He whined, wincing away from Sam's large hands. My jaw hit the ground.

"Me?"

"You heard me kid, we don't have a whole lot of time here."

"Embry I don't know the first thing about-"

"We don't have a whole lot of TIMEEEEE ARBOR."

"God Dammit Embry, if you come back looking all wonky it's not my fault…" I muttered, straddling his back and placing my hands over his left shoulder blade. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Are you lying?"

"Yes."

I sighed, giving one hard shove without warning, the bone snapping back into place with a sound that made my stomach churn. Embry groaned, wincing again as his shoulder started to set, sighing into the grass.

"I hate you." He whined, popping one eye open to see me as I hovered over him.

"Then tell me to leave."

"Never." He smirked, rolling over onto his back, still wincing slightly. I shifted my hips, letting him get comfortable and sit up before brushing my lips against his.

"How was that for our first little vampire powwow?" I asked, winking at all of them.

"You did a Hell of a lot better than I did." Quil laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Remind me never to piss her off," Collin murmured, waving towards me. "That chick went through that line of leeches like they were made of paper."

I laughed loudly, all of them turning to look at me.

"He's not joking, Kitty," Sam laughed, watching as Adam hurried inside to find Melissa. "You're a lot better off than we thought you were."

"We might as well skip half your training," Leah shrugged. "I'm sure we can get most of it covered by the end of the week."

I grinned at Embry, earning a proud smile in return.

"That's my girl." He murmured in my ear, standing to his feet and wrapping his arms around my waist. I felt my cheeks flush as I buried my face in his chest, his warm hands rubbing the small of my back.

We turned our heads in sync, Sue Clearwater standing on the back porch and clapping, everyone filing outside warily and joining her. I shot Embry and the others a look, all of them looking just as confused as I felt.

"This is new." Collin murmured, raising his eyebrows. I smiled at the crowd, taking on an unfamiliar air of pride, feeling like a hero.

"I've never seen anything like that!" Melissa cried, running to Adam. He swallowed her in his arms immediately, kissing her all over her face.

"Listen, Mel, I know, it seems crazy but I swear if you want me to stop I can in a he-"

"Are you kidding? This only makes you more attractive." Melissa sighed dreamily, the both of them going back to their tongue-war in no time. Leah rolled her eyes and looked away, Michael starting to gag.

"What the Hell was that thing?" Jacob yelled, Renesmee running into his arms quickly, Analee and Andrew in her arms.

"Child of the Moon." Edward hissed, his eyes working frantically amongst the trees.

"I haven't seen one of those in years, Edward." Billy Black murmured, staring off into space.

"Which is why this is an extremely large problem."

"I thought they were extinct." Quil demanded, looking furious.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I cut in, trying to keep the peace. "So we fought one little COM, what was the big deal?"

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, no one wanting to be the one to spill.

"Children of the Moon aren't a whole lot like us," Embry started, taking the lead as usual. "When we phase, we get massive, as you can see, and everything is a matter of choice. We _decide _when we want to phase, but those things have no choice. On full moon's, they're changing no matter what, like they're slaves or something. Even if someone shot them dead, their body would go through the shift."

"What does that have to do with us?"

"While shifters usually travel in Packs, Children of the Moon travel either alone…or…"

"With a female mate." Leah hissed, staring dead at me. Dad snarled ferociously, Embry doing the same as everyone's eyes locked on mine.

"What? No. No, no, no," I laughed nervously, jumping away from the scene. "He didn't do all of that for me-"

"He did," Leah cut in. "And his friend was a little more interested in you than was planned as well."

"Vladimir." Edward hissed, seeming to appear with Bella out of nowhere.

"You know him?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"All too well," Jacob growled, pulling Ness and his kids closer towards him. "A few years back his mate came looking for Renesmee."

"We were able to get rid of her," Bella chimed in happily. "Not so much for her mate."

"And you think he's interested in me." I said flatly, looking at all of them stupidly.

"He's smart, Kitty. Don't underestimate him."

"He's part-bat, Dad, can you get any more stereotypical?"

"Vladimir and his brother Stefan ruled before the Volturi did," Edward explained smoothly. "After Aro came to power, they'd been looking for a way to take back their thrones, but no such thing ever came about. They take a natural interest in…hybrids. They see it as a new experiment, a new tool to get what they want."

"And now Kitty's their number one hotspot?" Embry growled. I laced my fingers in his absentmindedly, trying to calm him.

"Apparently."

"Look, no offense, I swear, but why would they try someone new? Why go after a completely different hybrid when Ness is right here?"

"Because they're smarter than that?" Jacob growled dangerously, Ness elbowing him in the chest and Embry snarling.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Dad yelled, glaring at the both of them. They apologized weakly as I crossed my arms.

"Don't be an ass, Jake." Embry growled under his breath.

"It was a good question, to be honest," Edward murmured. "It seems that using a vampire would be the smartest route seeing as he'd understand her biologically."

"Maybe he wants to explore new lands." Leah mocked cynically. Dad growled at her, Edward raising his eyebrows.

"She could be right, Sam." He murmured.

"Or maybe it's because of the Child," Carlisle stated, looking warily at Edward. "After all, you did say she was-"

"She was what?"I demanded.

"Branded."

Everyone shot him a confused look, Embry releasing my hand and pulling me in front of him so that my back was to his chest, wrapping his arms around me while growling viciously.

"The only reason he'd want her is because she's a new tool."

"Can we take this one step at a time?" I asked, knitting my eyebrows together pleadingly. "So it's one little Child of the Moon. We kill him, then we kill the bloodsu-…vampire. We kill the vampire and everybody gets left alone after that. What the Hell does Branded mean anyway?"

"It isn't that simple." Embry murmured in my ear.

"Why the Hell not?"

"Children of the Moon aren't particularly…."

"They never give up." Leah shot, cutting him off.

"What's the difference between him and any other tracking predator?" I demanded, shrugging.

"Arbor he's more of a…"

"More of a what?"

"He's just…can you please just trust me?"

"Can you please just tell me the truth?" I demanded, shooting them all looks.

"Sometimes it's better to just leave things as they are…Kitty secrets are only made to prote-"

"Yeah, remember the last time we did that?" I yelled. "When all hell broke loose and Emmett's Jeep got destroyed?"

"Hell yeah we do." Emmett grumbled angrily in the back, pouting with his arms crossed. Rosalie rolled her eyes, nudging him.

"We can't keep doing this." I protested, ignoring him.

"She's right, Sam. We have to tell her." Embry sighed.

"Oh come on, grow a backbone." Dad grumbled, shooting him a look.

"She is my backbone." Embry whined, glancing at me. I smiled, rolling my eyes at his ridiculously cheesy statement.

"So what do we do?" Leah asked, back to business. They were all staring at Embry and I, waiting for an answer neither of us knew how to give. I looked back at him, receiving a confused look.

"What the hell are they staring at?" I murmured to him awkwardly, half of them being able to hear me anyway.

"They aren't staring at me." Embry scoffed, looking away.

"Oh yes we are." Dad shot. Embry knitted his eyebrows together, pouting.

"What the Hell are they talking about?"

"Being Alpha means he's chief of the tribe."

"I'm not chief of anything." Embry shot, still pouting.

"What are you talking about?" Sue asked, her eyes flickering between us all.

"Embry's my half-brother." Jacob growled, the room growing silent.

A heavy air fell over everyone, every eye in the room turning slowly to Billy Black, who'd looked more ashamed than I'd ever seen. Nobody moved aside from Embry and Jacob, who were both trembling slightly, me in the center. Jacob raised his eyebrows, mock excitement washing over his face.

"What?" I asked softly.

"After I Imprinted, we knew there was no way I was your Dad's half-brother," Embry sighed. "That left Jake and Quil, and we had to get it sorted out because...two Alpha's can't stay in the same Pack, Kitty. It just never works ou-"

"Stop it now." Mr. Black ordered, shaking his head sadly.

"What's wrong, Dad? Didn't expect us to find out this soon?"

"Jacob…" Dad hissed.

"Didn't expect us to find out at all?"

"I DID THIS TO PROTECT YOU." Billy boomed, gripping the side of his wheelchair.

"Protect me?" Jacob laughed darkly. "Protect me from what? You realize that if I'd made him angry enough, Embry and I could've fought to the death? You realize if he wasn't so damn QUIET AND SHY, WE COULD'VE KILLED EACH OTHER?"

"JACOB!" Dad yelled loudly, Embry throwing an arm in front of me before Jake phased and killed us all.

"NONE OF THIS WAS MEANT TO HURT YOU, JACOB."

"MEANT TO HURT US? YOU CHEATED ON MOM SEVEN YEARS BEFORE SHE DIED. I OUGHTA TEAR YOU APA-"

"JACOB STOP IT!" Renesmee screamed, Analee starting to wail in her arms.

Jacob buried his face in his hands, turning around and putting a thick hole in the wall behind him before sinking into the couch, silent. Embry pulled me into him, nuzzling his face in my neck as he continued shaking slightly.

"Breathe." I whispered lightly, leaning into him. Embry nodded lightly.

"Sorry," he murmured as everyone took a few moments to collect themselves. "As soon as tension rises I can't help it…it's the Alpha thing."

"Well it's not an Embry thing." I murmured, turning to face him.

"I'm sorry." He repeated.

"Don't be sorry for it, Embry. Be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Scared of losing your big bad wolf?" he smirked, kissing me on the forehead.

"Terrified." I whispered honestly. Embry's smirk fell as he brought up a hand to cup my face.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You don't know that."

"I do, Kitty. I'm not leaving until you order me away."

"What if it isn't our decision?" I whined quietly. Embry was silent for a moment, knitting his eyebrows together. He brought his lips to mine, the soft feel of his mouth calming me down instantly.

"Nobody could take me away from you."

"I'm sick of the secrets." I whispered.

"I know, baby. It's to keep you safe. I'd rather have you angry at me for lying, than have you dead because I wasn't able to figure out a quick enough solution to our problem."

"Embry...I just-"

"Shhh, Love. Come here." Embry murmured, brushing his lips against mine again.

"Get a room." Dad grumbled.

"We have to know what we're doing." Leah pressed, her arms still crossed tightly.

"Leah, I can't-"

"You're Alpha now," Leah hissed, cutting Embry off. "Act like it."

"I don't even know how to take care of myself, dammit! How the Hell am I supposed to-"

"Do it for Kitty." Sam shot sternly. Embry looked down at me, his dark eyes smoldering my own. I laced my fingers in his, bringing them up to my mouth, giving him an encouraging look. I nodded gently to him, Embry standing up straight, a dazzling height of "6'5", towering over everyone in the room.

"I trust you." I whispered to him softly. Embry stared at me, somewhat bewildered before glancing towards the crowd, his skin growing warmer than I'd ever felt.

"We take care of the COM first," he ordered, something new and stern ringing in his tone. "He'll be the easiest to get rid of. No matter what, we can't let our guards down. We've got two different enemies searching for one common prize, there's no telling what they're going to do to get it. Quil, you take Jacob and Collin and run the first patrol. Brady, Seth, Leah and I can switch at 3 in the morning, you guys can get some rest, and we'll take it from there."

I watched as everyone soaked in his words, taking them each to heart. My man was the leader, the chief, he had the final say in what everyone did. I was suddenly conflicted with the position I was in, realizing how tied I was to this life. Daughter of the previous Alpha, and now Imprint of the current one of one of the only Packs left in the world? Rough. Everyone started filing out of the room quietly, Dad turning to ask one last question.

"What about a backup plan?"

"I don't need a backup plan," Embry smirked. "I'm the Alpha."


	17. Fool Me Once Shame On You

**(When the race begins) The Prodigy-Run With The Wolves**

* * *

><p>"You've got to be kidding me." Melissa shot, our jaws hitting the floor in sync.<p>

"He looks…normal…" I murmured, watching Eli as he beamed at the crowd of girls around him.

"He looks like a God damn fairy," Liss corrected, knitting her eyebrows together in confusion. "What's up with that?"

"Maybe he was sick or something."

"Yeah, maybe... if he had a bad case of bat-shit crazy," Anna scoffed. "A week ago, he resembled road-kill."

"He's on steroids." Liss decided, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"I put $20 bucks on cocaine." Anna smirked.

"Cocaine?"

"YES, cocaine, stupid. Obviously he-"

"Cocaine doesn't make you look like a Prom Queen overnight."

"I dunno, Liss. Maybe you should try it."

"Not that anybody's saying I need it, right?"

"I swear to God if I-"

"Hello Ladies." Eli smirked, inches away from us. We all jumped nearly three feet in the air, Anna spilling her books all over the floor, now covered in Liss' lasagna.

"I was gonna eat that." Melissa grumbled, shooting him a deadly glare.

"Sorry gorgeous." He laughed charmingly, bringing his eyes back to mine.

"You look a little different Kitty. Do something with your hair?" He asked playfully, my change in appearance quite obvious to him.

"Nothing drastic." I said icily, turning away. He swooped under me, forcing us face to face again.

"So I was thinking," he murmured. "We need to talk."

"Do we?" I smirked coldly, beginning to walk away, Melissa and Anna still whining about their lasagna behind me.

"Yes," he growled, grabbing my arm. "We do. Listen about what happened back at ho-"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I shot immediately.

"I'm pretty sure you do-"

"Nope, not at all."

"Calm down, Arbor," Eli ordered, smirking at me. "Your dog is well out of ear shot."

My jaw hit the floor as I stared up at him, his smirk growing into a full-blown grin.

"Bet you didn't see that one coming." He winked.

"You know." I breathed.

"I've known for months, you probably would've recognized that if you hadn't left me." He said soberly, his comment catching me off guard.

"Left you?"

"That's exactly what you did." He shrugged.

"Eli I-"

"I needed you, and you ran from me."

"You kissed me."

"So you _do _know what I was talking about." He grinned. I swatted at him angrily.

"This isn't funny!" I hissed.

"Why the Hell not? I'm not afraid of Embry."

"You should be." I chuckled darkly, an image of Embry tearing him limb from limb flashing through my head.

"For you? I'd take on anybody." Eli shrugged, lifting my heavy backpack from my hands and slinging it over his shoulder.

"I don't need you to baby me." I seethed.

"But I like to. So I'm going to."

"You're not getting what you want," I shot, whirling to face him. "I can't date you."

"So it's not that you don't want to, it's just that you-"

"You're pushing it."

"I don't want a date. I want my best friend back."

"Promise?"

"Yep."

"Fine. We can be friends, IF, you tell me what happened to you." I smirked.

"You first," He laughed, cocking his head when I raised my eyebrows at him. "What? I know you didn't expect me to know about the wolves and not know about you too."

"How do you-"

"I told you I'm not forgetting about you," Eli shot, echoing his words from the house. "Never. So I followed you that night."

"You followed me six miles into the woods."

"Yes ma'am, it was the only thing that proved to me I wasn't crazy."

"Strange." I murmured, glancing at girls who glared in my direction as they saw me walking with Eli.

"Don't mind them," he shrugged. "You're always number one."

"I wasn't worried about that," I fired. "I just didn't expect you to-"

"Catch on? Yeah, I know, neither did I. But I just had this gut feeling, ya know? I knew you had to be a part of it, the entire time I was obsessing over it, you kept coming into my mind. I just knew it."

"What happened to you?" I demanded again, changing the subject quickly.

"Me? I dunno. After that night, I was finally able to sleep. Woke up back at home like nothing had happened. Had a really bad fever, a little flu, slept for a few days and woke up this morning feeling brand new." He beamed, winking at a girl as she crossed our path.

"That's it?" I asked suspiciously, eyeing him.

"Yep. You guys get all the cool powers and I gotta be the lame sidekick."

"You're not lame."

"But I do get to be your sidekick." He smiled. I rolled my eyes, smiling and nudging him slightly with my hip.

"There she is," Eli murmured. "That girl with my favorite smile."

I stared up at him for a moment, somewhat conflicted with his comment. Since when was I his favorite?

"T-Than-"

"So we're going to see a movie, " he stated casually. "AS friends, as friends, but you're still coming with me."

"Like what?"

"Hunger Games." He beamed. I rolled my eyes.

"For the past two months, my life has BEEN the Hunger Games." I whined, training flashing across my mind.

"OOOOOOO movie time!" Sam smiled, walking up and throwing his arms around the both of us. "What are we going to go see?"

"_Arbor and I_ are going to see Hunger Games." Eli growled slightly, glaring at my brother as we walked.

"WELL YA KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, FOUR'S A PARTY." Adam cheered, grabbing Eli's hand.

"Oh sweet Jesus…" I muttered under my breath.

"Don't look at me like that," Adam smirked, bobbing his head like a ghetto girl. "Gotta take me out before you get into THESE pants."

"Adam, you really need to-"

"Shh, Kitty. Watch and learn the art of seduction."

"This is where it gets real." Sam whispered excitedly, watching as Adam made kissy faces at Eli.

"You're trainwrecks."

"I'm fabulous." Sam corrected, sticking his nose in the air.

"You guys can't come!"

"Oooo, Embry's gonna be maddddd." Adam warned, raising an eyebrow at me. I shot him a look.

"Since when are you on his side?"

"Since I realized I hated Eli more." He cheesed, paying no mind to the fact that Eli was standing three inches away.

"You're a tool."

"And you're so adorable when you're maaaaaad." Adam cooed, pinching my cheek before spotting Melissa across the room and making a run for her.

"I wanna go to the movies." Sam frowned innocently, honestly upset.

"We can do something else," I said sweetly, smiling at him. "I miss you."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." I beamed, using our catchphrase. Sam caught my pinky with his own and drew an X over his chest, me doing the same afterwards.

"Fine. And don't forget about training today!" He smiled, walking away.

"Training? What the Hell is training?" Eli asked, shooting me a confused look.

Training was Hell, that's what. Leah had me running ragged since the attack at our dinner party last week, and no matter how superhuman I'd become, my muscles still felt like Jell-O by the end of every session. I grimaced against the bright silver clouds rumbling overhead, Embry nuzzling me with his snout for a moment before taking his place next to me.

_Alright, _Leah started, pacing in front of all of us as we stood in a shoulder-to-shoulder line in the center of Bella's favorite clearing. _It's been proven that Arbor can fight, but in reality, it's no good if she can't get to a safe distance first. If you're ever to be swarmed, there's no way you'll make it out alive until you can run. So since wolves are clearly the quicker species, _she-wolf smirked. _Learn to outrun and out navigate us, and you'll be a master in these trees._

I exhaled slowly and nervously, adrenaline pumping through my veins as Edward took Leah's place, watching her stride to her spot in our line.

_Ready to get dusted, kid? _Quil teased.

"As if. I'll own you, Ateara."

_She's brave, _Michael teased. _Let's see if she can even keep up._

Edward smirked, reading our competitive thoughts with one hand raised in the air. All of the wolves turned in on me, growling and snapping in my direction, ready to pounce. Everything happened at once.

They could read my mind, making escape nearly impossible. Embry lunged first, Leah coming over him, so jumping was out of the question. I slid underneath his legs, barely dodging Michael's massive jaws as Quil batted for me, his claws inches away from my torso. I pivoted on my heels, sprinting dead ahead for the forest like I've never sprinted before.

It was amazing. No, it was better than amazing. I felt like a bird, like I was on my very own rollercoaster. My Air Max's dug into the dirt ferociously, peddling me forward so quickly I could've made an Olympic track runner green with envy. The trees were barely in sight, nothing but a massive green blur as I sped through them. I waited for the burning, waited for my muscles to yell at me in protest, but it never came. Not when Embry's heavy footsteps started echoing my own, not when I started seeing Leah in my peripheral's, not even when a bird nearly flew into the side of my head.

Sometimes I got distracted. I'd see a gorgeous flower, knowing I'd had less than half a second to remember it, and I'd close my eyes as quickly as I could, saving the image in the back of my mind. Or I'd smell Embry, get a whiff of his delicious pine and pumpkin spice scent and I'd nearly lose it, using all the self-control I could muster up not to turn around and hump him like there was no tomorrow.

_Rule number one, never make your weaknesses obvious. _Leah smirked, shoving hard into Embry. My wolf tumbled forward in the dust, his scent washing all around me so powerfully that for a second I couldn't even see straight. I regained my footing, Leah's silvery frame pulling ahead of me.

"Cheater." I hissed, Leah laughing loudly. I pumped my arms harder, a new wave of adrenaline rushing over me as I passed her by once more. I winced, my shoes starting to sizzle from all the friction.

_Technical difficulties? _Leah teased. I growled, shooting her a dirty look before skidding backwards and leaping over her. As expected, she turned around, her jaws snapping instinctively at my heels. With my new vision, placing my feet perfectling against her teeth wasn't an issue, and I smirked as she tore off my shoes with her mouth, my bare feet hitting the ground seconds later. She snarled furiously as I bolted past her, the rest of the wolves howling in annoyance.

What's wrong guys?" I called over my shoulder. "Can't keep up?"

_Keep this! _Leah snarled, digging her claws harder into the grass. I laughed, the love of competition exploding in my soul.

"Bring it, princess."

My waves were washing wildly around me, every muscle in my body active as I sprinted beyond superhuman capability. My lungs and heart were quick to work together, smart enough to keep up with the rest of me as I pumped and pumped, my slim figure dodging through every tree possible. I smirked, focusing on the large trunks ahead of me.

_Don't you dare._ Leah growled.

I rolled my eyes, doing and aerial cartwheel over her silver body, landing against the side of a large tree trunk. I dug my claws in, keeping myself in a horizontal position as I sprang from tree to tree, climbing up higher and higher with each limb. Leah growled beneath me, doing her best to outrun the tree-hopper. I smiled, pulling back a thick whip, perching on the end and letting it catapult me nearly half a mile ahead of her.

I laughed, landing on my feet perfectly, shooting her a glance over my shoulder as she broke through the trees, finally visible again.

_And you call me a cheater? _She demanded angrily.

"Don't feel bad," I teased, rocking on my heels and bolting across the forest floor once more. "Quil and Michael can barely keep up."

_WE CAN TOO. _Michael growled, pushing harder.

_Do you smell that?_ Embry asked, knitting his eyebrows together. I kept running, Leah close behind me.

"Smell what?"

_I smell it too…_Seth added warily, his voice causing me to slow down. I was pacing next to Embry now, the trees blurring past us in sync as we ran together, Leah's silver body pushing ahead towards the small raise in the forest floor acting as a hill.

"Smell what?" I demanded again.

_It smells like-_

"LEAH STOP!" I screamed, catching the scent myself. Leah laughed, all of us speeding up to catch her. "LEAH! LEAH STOP NOW IT'S-"

Leah bounded over the hill, the rest of us breaking through the trees and falling at the top in a desperate attempt to grab her before she made her way down the mound of dirt, a deadly pair of eyes setting themselves on her the second she'd thrown herself in sight. Leah tumbled to the center of the forest floor, dirt rising up all around her as she stared in horror at the figure in front of her, everyone freezing in their places.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope this cliffhanger makes you cry, cause if it doesn't, I have plenty more up my sleeve.<strong>

**I'd like to let everybody know that it's MELISSA'S fault because I was distraught without my favorite reader for a few days /3**

**Anyway, let your imaginations run wild while I decide what happens to our friends here ;)**


	18. Home Is Where The Heart Breaks

**S/O to BlondBanana for refreshing her email client every second :]**

**S/O to MelissaWilliamore for giving me inspiration and self-esteem to contiue writing :]**

**(When Arbor and Embry are in her bedroom) Romeo and Juliet-Alexandre Desplat**

**(When Arbor gets out of the shower and goes into the hall) Hanz Zimmer-Inception Bonus**

**(The fighting) Requiem for a Dream-Clint Mansell**

**Two Steps From Hell-1000 Ships Underworld**

**Prelude-Pusher Music**

**TLL-Deep Shadows**

**Two Steps From Hell-Sons of War**

**X-Ray Dog: Dethroned**

**(Embry's Mom) Hans Zimmer-Corynorhinus**

**(The Forest Pool) Hans Zimmer-A Living Funeral**

* * *

><p>"YOU ARE BEYOND GROUNDED," My Dad shot angrily, pacing in front of all of us. Mom rolled her eyes behind him, crossing her arms over her chest while the rest of us sat there like a bunch of kids caught with our hands in the cookie jar. This was by far the longest lecture we'd ever gotten, Dad taking twenty minutes each to zero in on us individually. "I'M BEYOND DISAPPOINTED." He screamed.<p>

"Dad, come on we-"

"ESPECIALLY WITH YOU," Dad shot to Sam, starting to shake slightly, glaring. "Aren't you supposed to be the responsible one?"

"Supposed?" Sam snarled, his expression turning furious. "I've watched out for Kitty my entire life-"

"And you just decided to stop now?"

"WE WON'T ALWAYS BE THERE TO PROTECT HER!" He screamed, stepping up to face my father. The both of them were vibrating violently, Embry's fingers twitching instinctively, the sign of tension triggering his inner wolf.

"Dad it's not as bad as you thi-"

"NOT AS BAD AS I THINK?" Dad boomed, whirling to face me. Embry shoved me behind him immediately.

"Watch it, Sam." He warned, growling.

"Dad it was one little race, nothing was gonna ha-"

"YOU DON'T NEED TRAINING."

"I NEED IT IF I'M GONNA SURVIVE."

"ALL YOU NEED IS US!"

"AND WHEN THEY TAKE YOU OUT, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO THEN?" I snarled, Mom gasping in the background.

"Arbor Jordyn Uley, how da-"

"Stop it, Mom!" I yelled. "Stop right now, because we both know I'm right. "

A hush fell over Embry's living room, Dad clenching his jaw tightly as Sam sunk into the couch, throwing his face in his hands.

"You took out the leeches in the backyard easy enough." Dad grumbled, staring down at his feet.

"Because I was taught how, Daddy," I said softly, my angry expression melting quickly. "Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry? Wouldn't you rather me be able to defend myself IF the time ever called for it?"

"Sam, she needs it." Mom murmured softly, grabbing onto his arm.

"What she needs is us."

"I won't always have you." I countered, pleading with him. Dad's eyes flickered to mine angrily as he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You lied to me, Kitty. All of you did."

"As if it's the first time," Adam scoffed, giving an annoyed look as Dad growled. "You act like we were saints to begin with."

"I'm acting like you were trustworthy!" My father hissed.

"One lie does not make us untrustworthy." I seethed, clenching my fists.

"No, it makes you grounded." Dad shot. I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms and clenching my jaw.

"So that's it then, I'm gonna get in trouble for watching out for myself."

"You're in trouble for lying."

"Alright, Dad, then since we're being honest, I've been doing this shit for weeks and it isn't gonna stop." I shot.

"Language!" Mom cried.

"IT STOPS NOW."

"SAYS WHO? I'VE BEEN SNEAKING OUT OF THIS HOUSE FOR NEARLY A MONTH DAD, YOU GONNA STOP ME?"

"I know my children better than anyone else on this Earth."

"Doesn't mean you can catch us," Adam shot, smirking and crossing his arms. "Especially not Kitty. Hence the nickname."

"It's Leah's fault anyway," Collin whined. "If she hadn't been so Hell-bent on winning, we could've stopped her."

"Oh shut the fu-"

"LANGUAGE!"

"You ran STRAIGHT into him, Lee. You can't tell us that wasn't stupid."

"FINE, SO I GOT US CAUGHT, YOU WANNA FIGHT ABOUT IT?"

"Both of you calm down now." Embry shot darkly, the two of them falling silent in seconds.

"I can't stay," Mom stated, shaking her head. "Embry's Mom is waiting for me at the store and I can't-"

"Mom don't tell!" I yelled, fearful. She shook her head.

"Never, baby. Never." I watched her leave the house, and odd feeling washing over me.

"This is the end of discussion." Dad stated.

"Sam you can't just tell her she can't learn how to fight for her li-"

"THERE'S ONLY ONE FATHER IN THIS ROOM."

"And there's only one Alpha," Embry growled behind me, everyone in the room turning to face us. "She's gotta learn, Sam."

"One Alpha? What the Hell is he talking about?"

"Your Dad stepped down, merging the two packs together."

"You mean there's only one again? Like back before-"

"Yes." Embry growled, clenching his jaw.

Dad wavered for a moment under Embry's deadly glare, the Alpha tone crashing over him as he winced lightly.

"End of discussion." He barely managed to choke out, shooting Collin, Brady, Sam and Jacob looks before heading out of the door.

"Sorry kiddo." Jake murmured, following Sam and the other two out the door.

"We'll only be on patrol for a little while longer, then we can switch and I'll come back and hangout with you, okay?" Sam said softly, turning to me.

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." He smiled, catching my pinky with his and making the X over his chest, me doing the same afterwards as usual. It was our own special handshake, one we'd come up with when I was 7. The world had stopped turning. It was the day Aunt Jordyn offed herself.

I remembered it almost perfectly, because of how indifferent I felt towards it all. Of course she'd been around since my birth, she, Aunt Kim, Uncle Jared, and my parents were extremely close-knit, although I never got the full story as to why. _It was rainy that day_. Well Hell, it was rainy almost _every _day in La Push, but that day was worse. _There were sheets of rain instead of small showers, our front yard turning into its own marsh as Mom screamed and cried in the grass, Dad clinging her to his chest. I stared out at them, the two rocking back and forth as if that was going to solve their problems._

'_What happened?' I asked quietly, Sam coming up to the window beside me. We watched silently for a moment, no answer given as Sam kept his eyes glued to my Mom._

'_Aunt Jordyn killed herself today.'_

'_You're lying." I shot, staring up at him wide-eyed. Sam shook his head gently, not taking his eyes off our parents in the rain._

'_She did it this morning. I heard them say so.'_

'_How come?'_

'_I know.' Adam piped up, appearing out of nowhere with a blank face. The both of us turned to him, Adam's cheeks streaked with tears as he stared at our Mom losing herself. 'It's cause of Kitty, it's her fault.'_

'_No it's not!' I cried loudly, wincing._

'_IS TOO! AUNT JORDYN WANTED TO TAKE YOU HOME WITH HER AND EVAN BUT MOMMA WOULDN'T LET HER SO SHE KILLED HERSELF!' He accused, his face growing red. Sam screamed at him, tackling my other brother. _

_ I pulled my face into a grimace, tears streaming out of my eyes viciously as I thought it over. Aunt Jordyn was always around, sometimes more than Dad was at the time. Always brushing my hair, dressing me up, taking me shopping when I didn't need anything….I was more of a baby doll than a niece, more of a toy than a family member, and after each visit, she'd always stop at the door and look back at me, frowning as if after hours and hours of makeup and clothes she still wasn't happy with her masterpiece._

_ The boys quit wrestling on the ground the second a whimper escaped my lips, my entire frame shaking as Sam shoved off of Adam and hugged me tightly, his chubby little arms constricting my torso._

'_Don't cry, Kitty,' he whined lightly. 'I hate it when you cry.'_

'_I have too. Aunt Jordyn killed herself because of m-'_

'_No she didn't,' Sam shot viciously, pulling away to look at me. 'I promise Kitty, it wasn't your fault. Adam is being stupid. If it was your fault, I would've told you.'_

'_Promise?' I asked, looking up at him through tear-soaked lashes. Sam nodded, holding his pinky out slightly._

'_Cross my heart.'_

'_Hope to die.' I murmured, taking it with my own and making an X over my chest._

"Arbor." Embry snapped, worry flooding his features as he waved at me frantically. I blinked myself away from the memory, shooting him a nervous smile.

"Yeah, yeah. What?"

"Leah asked if we were hungry?"

"Yeah, yeah." I repeated, slumping into his window seat and watching the boys follow my father into the line of trees.

"You alright?" he murmured softly, sinking next to me, his eyes on my face. I nodded slowly, Embry shooting me a disbelieving look.

"I just remember when none of this was real," I said quietly, glancing at him. "Back when werewolves were just spirits that protected us in our sleep."

"I'll protect you in your sleep." He said softly, playing with his fingers.

"I hate going to bed alone." I admitted, not able to stop the words from coming out of my mouth.

"Then you never will again," Embry shot, staring up at me. I narrowed my eyes at him, studying his face slowly. "I mean unless you want me to get someone else to do it." He finished quickly, his cheeks turning hot.

"Why would I want anybody besides you?" I asked, honestly curious. Embry's face turned even redder than before, a slow smile playing on his lips. He pulled me to my feet, resting his hands on my waist as he brushed his mouth against mine, the same slow, sweet way he always did.

"I heard you have a girlfriend." I teased, staring up at him. He nodded, running a thumb across my cheek.

"She's flawless." He murmured.

"Is she?" I whispered, my face flaming hot.

"I could show her better than I could tell her." He smirked, running his tongue along my bottom lip.

"QUIT SWALLOWING MY SISTER AND GET YOUR ASS UPSTAIRS." Adam demanded, his voice echoing from the dining room. Embry rolled his eyes, smiling when his eyes met mine.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked quietly.

"My boyfriend."I beamed, kissing him again before leading him up his own stairs.

"Dining room's in there." He murmured, taking the lead and drawing us around the corner.

Adam shot us a look as we sat down, everyone already munching like there was no tomorrow.

"I can't believe we got in trouble." I grumbled, attacking a chicken leg.

"Are you serious?" Leah asked, her mouth full. "Your Dad's one of the biggest as-"

"Hey, hey." Embry warned, Leah rolling her eyes.

"He could've been a little nicer." Adam agreed, nodding his head as he stuffed his face full of macaroni.

"I feel like I'll be in trouble every damn day for the rest of our lives." I whined.

"Probably," Leah agreed, now going in on a steak. "I'm just surprised we got caught."

"I'm not." I shot, glaring at her.

"Fine, fine, I'M SORRY," She muttered dramatically. "I should've listened to you."

Everybody choked on their food at the same time, Embry swatting frantically at my back as I coughed.

"You what?" Seth demanded, his eyes wide.

"I should've listened to you." Leah murmured again, barely audible.

"There is a God." Adam whispered, earning himself a swat to the back of the head.

"Yeah well I'm never saying it again so get used to that." She hissed, taking her anger out on her poor meat. The rest of us sat there for a moment, staring at her in absolute wonder. "EAT!" She hissed loudly, everybody's eyes shooting to their plates at the same time. Embry nudged me slightly, a smile lurking across his mouth. I couldn't help it. If he was smiling, then I would be too, it was just the way things happened between us. I started giggling like a little kid, Leah shooting us a look as Embry joined in. Quil nearly exploded trying to keep his laughter together, snorting so loudly that I roared, throwing my head back as the giggles escaped my lips.

"YOU SNORTED!" Adam cried, laughing like a dying whale. Quil glared at him, a huge wad of mash potatoes landing square in Adam's shirt seconds later. The room grew silent, everybody's jaws hitting the floor as Quil smirked triumphantly, crossing his arms.

Adam was shaking, his face turning bright red as he growled. Embry got ready, his fingers clenching the table as he started shaking as well.

"Uh oh…"Michael whispered, everyone starting to scoot away from the dinner table awkwardly as Adam opened his mouth to say something.

"FOOD FIGHT!" he cried, shoving his entire plate towards Quil, the ceramic shattering against the boy's shirt. Leah jumped up immediately, Paul nailing her with green beans before she had a chance to escape. Embry yanked me under the table, rambling something about battle plans and finding a way to get the Hell out before we were attacked. I reached over the table, settling a pie in between us.

"Whatcha doin…." Embry asked me awkwardly, eying the pie in suspicion. I slammed it into his face, giggling as the cream melted against his hot skin, sending it cascading down his face and body.

"Who said we were on the same team?" I laughed, trying to flee him.

"OOOOOOO YOU MESSED WITH THE WRONG WEREWOLF." He boomed, picking up the carton of milk and pouring its contents all over my head. I squealed, pouncing on him as Leah slapped Michael around, pinning him on the table. Embry had me up against the wall, the whip cream can in hand and aimed at my face.

"Don't you dare!" I hissed giving him a warning look while trying not to hide a laugh. I jolted underneath him, running upstairs to his room, Embry following closely and slamming the door behind him.

"You did this to yourself, kid."

"I'll make you blush, Embry. Don't make me seduce you."

"Seduce me? With this?" he teased, spraying a thick, long line of whipped cream along my neck. "Never."

"Aren't you supposed to be the shy one?" I asked, backing up against the wall.

"I was," he shrugged, his face inches away from mine. "You bring the animal out in me."

"You're cheesy."

"You're sweet." He murmured, trailing his tongue across the cream, licking it off of my warm skin. I shifted, the burning in my thighs starting for him again.

Embry moaned lightly, feeling my fingers trail down his shirt. I pulled my hair into a sloppy bun, piling it all on top of my head as he continued licking the whipped cream off until there was nothing left.

"Wanna be bad?" I asked, smirking. Embry's dark eyes smoldered mine as I held my hand out between us, waiting for an answer. "Come on. Trust me." I smiled.

"You're ruining my innocence." He smiled sexily, shoving the can into my hand, not loosening his grip around it. I bit my lip, the both of us subtly fighting for the treat. Embry finally let go of it suddenly, using my distraction to grab my hips and push me up the wall, pressing his torso against mine, the top of his jeans rubbing between my thighs.

I smirked at him, drawing a huge X across my chest as I wrapped my legs around his torso. Embry raised an eyebrow at me, gasping nervously as he saw what I expected him to do. His cheeks went bright red as he stared up at me.

"Kitty I don't…."

"Did I do something?"

"No! No, of course you didn't, I just…"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know what I'm doing." He laughed honestly, somewhat ashamed. I shook my head at him, biting my lip.

"Yes you do," I whispered, starting to pull apart the buttons of my shirt slowly. "Just go for it."

"That's not…it's not it…" Embry murmured, trying desperately to tear his eyes away from my bra.

"What's wrong? Em we don't have to-"

"I don't know if I'll be able to stop." He shot quickly, his eyes somewhat fearful. We stared at each other for a moment, Embry finally ripping his gaze away in shame.

"Who says I'd want you to?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. Embry's eyes snapped up to mine, looking at me like I was an idiot.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" he demanded softly, his voice quiet but angry. "Kitty I didn't even ask last time, I was being such an ass, you shouldn't even let me around you."

"You didn't have to!" I countered, the whip cream starting to drip into my bra. "If I'd wanted you to stop, I would've said so. _I'm _asking _you."_

"And _I'm_ saying I can barely think straight when you have your clothes _on, _Lord knows I don't even know what I'm doing when they're o-"

I cut him off quickly, grabbing his jaw and bringing my lips to his fiercely. Embry's grip on my hips tightened in frustration, a low growl rumbling in the back of his throat as I ran my tongue along his bottom lip. He was caving in like quicksand, his guard diminishing in seconds as he became lost in my body and scent. I pulled away slightly, leaning the can against his luscious bottom lip and spraying in the cream, licking it out of his mouth before he could protest.

It drove him crazy. It ruined his demeanor, broke every inch of self-control he possessed, and it wasn't just the sounds he was making that told me so. It was the way he hungrily bit at my throat, his lips working frantically across my chest to soak up any morsel of whipped cream he could manage. I tangled my fingers in his hair, the burning growing worse the more he worked, it was like he was made of magic. Embry flicked his tongue against the line of my bra, running it up to my collar bone and shoulder, then using his teeth to pull down the straps teasingly.

My heart was picking up, my breathing growing frantic as Embry nipped at the center of my bra, tugging at the fabric with his beautiful teeth before running down my torso with his tongue, his hands squeezing my backside whenever he saw fit. He smirked as a moan moved past my lips, the sound driving him further into his fit of lust. I was thrown against the bed, my body nearly on fire now as Embry glanced up at me, popping the button on my shorts open with his teeth.

"Oh God…" I breathed, barely able to contain myself as his mouth started working along my inner thighs. Embry's grip was tight on my hips, using one hand to hold me and the other to pull my shorts off. He looked like a mad man, my scent washing over him the second he had my shorts on the floor.

"Let's hope there is one." He murmured, pressing his mouth to my core for a moment in a gentle kiss. I shifted immediately, almost jumping at the sweet sensation, my burn growing stronger, now begging me to let him in. Embry's tongue flicked against the top of my center, two fingers finding their way inside of me, a moan flying through the room. Embry made his lips busy elsewhere while he had his fingers inside me, kissing up my torso until he was back to my mouth.

It was hard to kiss him, the moans flying through my lips so quickly and often that I probably sounded like an injured cat, but at that point, I didn't care. He was thrusting with his hand, moving in me, the sensation like a smoldering that screamed inside my body. It was like being set on fire, and feeling oh so good about it. He ripped my underwear off, sliding a third inside so quickly that my hands flew to his shoulders, clinging to him as he moved steadily. The wildfire was spreading through my body as Embry became suddenly gentle, the old him washing through. He brushed his lips against mine gently, slowing down in his movements as he reverted back to his usual tender nature, one of his thumbs stroking my cheek.

"You're beautiful." He whispered against my mouth, his voice so dreamy it nearly put me to sleep.

I winced as a glass shattered downstairs.

"And we're being paged," Embry smiled apologetically, kissing me on the forehead. "Unless you feel like cleaning up all the dinner dishes plus some, I'd suggest you get in the shower."

I frowned, not wanting him to leave.

"Don't be sad," he said softly, practically reading my mind. "I'll be here when you get out."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He smiled. I sighed, receiving another kiss on the forehead before he walked out the door, shooting me another smile before he closed it behind him. I stripped on my way to the bathroom, smiling to myself underneath the hot water as it soaked everything off of me. I sighed, jumping slightly when a loud rumble shook the house. I waved it off, basking in the heat of the shower once more until I heard it again.

I snapped the faucet, the water shutting off immediately. I threw my hand against the wall to steady myself as another shook the house more violently.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Whatever you're doing down there, cut it out before you break the house!"

The Pack ignored me, more rumbles moving through the house as I attempted to get out of the tub, falling flat on my face instead. I ripped a towel from the rack angrily, throwing the bathroom door open. It was dead silent, nothing but the sound of thunder and rumbling echoing across the walls. My steps were without sound as I edged my way into the hallway, glancing in both directions to make sure I wasn't about to get jumped before heading down the first flight of stairs. There was nothing but rumbling, the floors shaking viciously as if bombs were being dropped out in the front yard.

I stopped at the landing in between the first flight of stairs and the second, looking over the banister at the living room and dining room. The lights flickered off, and suddenly I had to focus to ensure my heart didn't give away my location, nearly beating out of my chest in anxiety. My movements were silent as I edged down the first flight of stairs, my feet reaching the cold wooden floor without a noise as the rain raged outside.

"Arbor?"

I whirled around, my heart skipping several beats at once as lightening flashed across the kitchen, Elissa staring at me wide-eyed before the Child roared, sinking its teeth into her neck and ripping out a large chunk. My jaw hit the floor, my eyes nearly popping out of my skull as I threw myself back against the wall, my body going into defense mode immediately. I was ripped away from the corner, Embry roaring in front of me as he shook violently, exploding out of his skin only seconds later.

Elissa's body hit the floor, the Child screeching at Embry as if he'd shot his mother. They lunged for each other, rolling around the house like tumbleweeds, crushing counters, denting the fridge, their jaws snapping wildly at each other's throats. The two exploded through the side of the house, slopping mud around each other as they fought frantically, rain brushing over the kitchen floor instantly. I ran to Elissa, brushing the hair out of her sticky face as tears swept down her pale cheeks.

"I came…I wanted to…help…I had to…"

"Shh," I soothed, desperation washing over me. "Shh, you're gonna be okay, alright? You're gonna be okay, I promise just….please just…."

"Kitty…you….it's him…."

"Who is it, Liss? You know."

"I can't…"

I clenched my jaw, a few tears betraying me and slipping down my face as the pale girl in my arms fell silent, her last breath floating into the air like a balloon with a snipped string.

"Elissa?" I choked, dabbing at her wound with my fingertips, a sad attempt to stop the bleeding. She didn't respond, my mind going into a blank haze before a roar snapped me out of my stupor. Sniffing, I fled to the nearest bedroom, ripping open some of Mrs. Call's drawers and putting on whatever I could find. I settled on a white button up V-neck and some jeans, not bothering with shoes as another rumble echoed through the house.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Leah screamed, throwing the guest bedroom door open at the same time as I entered the hallway.

"Something's here, it killed Elissa." I shot, dashing out into the rest of the house.

Collin was in the kitchen, feigning off two leeches while Seth tumbled past me with another, his claws missing my face by inches. I rounded the corner, a leech dropping from the ceiling in front of me. I scrambled backwards, turning, but there was another waiting, Leah phasing to rip it apart in seconds.

The first leech grabbed me by the back of the hair, tossing me effortlessly through a wall where I landed in a slump next to Paul, who'd been hit so hard he'd phased back into a human.

"These guys aren't playing around." I growled, rocking on my feet and shooting back through the hole, tackling the blonde woman who'd thrown me. She hissed, carrying my weight as we crashed against Seth and his vampire, all four of us rumbling on a ground in a mass of claws and teeth. I was tossed into one of the broken counters, catching my side on a broken slab of marble.

I hissed, the blonde woman shooting towards me. Barely having time to move, I swiveled under her, watching with a smirk as she tumbled into the marble, her face cracking slightly. She shrieked, her blazing eyes locking on mine as Embry came bounding back into the kitchen, catching her by the torso and ripping it in half. I caught her left arm, pulling it away from his jaws, the limb popping off with a sick metal crunching sound.

_SOMEBODY HELP!_

Embry and I darted into the living room, Seth being ganged up on by three vampires at a time. One had his face shoved into the carpet, the other working at his ribs frantically, each snapping quicker than the one before it while the other had sunk her teeth into him, drawing as much blood as she could. I snarled wildly, leaping at her, ripping her away from Seth's hide, the both of us crashing into the television with a loud crackle. Seth whimpered as Embry tackled another leech off of him, the one remaining using more force than necessary.

The woman clawed at me, her nail catching the side of my throat as I wrapped my hands around her own, crushing it with such force that her screaming cut off within seconds. Everyone's mind was rumbling at 100 miles per hour, leaving me barely able to focus as I ripped at the ankle of the last vampire on Seth, his body hitting the floor with a hard crack, the wood splitting beneath him. He was up in seconds, holding me upside down by the torso with my legs kicking wildly over his shoulder. I growled, the vampire laughing at me while I struggled against his hold, those pale, marble-like arms cracking a few ribs out of place.

Across from me, Embry was holding a leech down while Michael ripped it limb from limb, his teeth glinting in the lightening as it raged all around us. An idea flickered through my mind, and in seconds I'd turned my head, sinking my teeth into the vampire's leg, his screeching ringing through the air as he dropped me on my head. I hit the ground, crouching over him as he fell, ripping the rest of his limbs off easily. I shot down the hall next, Adam's voice growing loud in my head.

There was no finding him, I whirled into every room possible.

"ADAM WHERE THE HELL ARE YO-" I flinched, his body crashing into the bathroom, granite and glass spilling all around him as he collided with the sink. "Found you." I muttered, shooting towards the red-headed man who'd thrown him. I slid under his legs, Adam using the distraction to pounce on him. While he was down, I sunk both sets of claws into the side of its face, pulling upwards with such force that his entire head came off, the inertia nearly knocking me on my ass.

_Thanks for that. _Adam breathed quickly, clearly tired.

"We aren't done yet." I growled, flying up the stairs towards Leah. Adam and I exploded through Mrs. Call's bedroom door, Leah's naked body laying limp in the corner. Our eyes flickered to the two vampires sprawled out along the bed, rolling in her blood hungrily. They made me sick.

"I get the woman." I hissed, lurching for her. She swiveled out of the sheets, pushing off of my shoulders and doing a flip around to my back, grabbing hold of my hair and shoving me face-first into the dresser, pinning me there as she dug her nails across my lower back. I groaned, reaching around for her, but she kept me at a perfect distance, my claws unable to find her face.

"This was far easier than we'd hoped." She growled into my ear, trailing her tongue down my neck. I snarled, punching a fist through the dresser, the entire wooden structure collapsing around my arm, giving me a good foot and a half of space to swivel around and throw my hand around her neck.

_Kitty!_

I tossed the woman to my brother, the both of us doing a surprise switch on our attackers. A confused expression flickered across the man's face as I bolted for him, catching his wrist as it swung for me. He was a basic attacker, going for my lower legs. Stupid, stupid boy. I did a summersault over his spine, whirling around and kicking him hard in the tailbone, his body hitting the floor so hard that it caved in, all of us sinking to the level below us.

We crashed against the sitting room carpet, wood and metal and furniture raining down all around us as our screaming filled the air.

_What the Hell are you all doing?_ Embry screeched, flying into the room. He swept me off the ground, sending me clear across just as the woman lunged in my direction. I landed on the wall with a clean perch, catapulting off seconds later like a rocket, the woman crashing into Mrs. Call's glass cabinet. There was a reason we were never to enter this house.

_THAT HAD ALL MY MOM'S CHINA IN IT!_ Embry cried loudly, his voice filled with rage. If we thought we were grounded earlier, we were in for slaughter when Dad came back. I shoved my fist into her chest, feeling nothing but granite in between my fingers as I ripped out a huge chunk, a gaping hole now lying in her body. She fell to the ground, her screeches choppy and broken as she writhed, her mate yelling her name loudly across the room. Adam batted at him, Embry catching him clear in the air and tearing off his head.

_Adam, find Leah! _ Embry ordered, all of us tearing through the rubble in the room to get to her.

_GOT HER, GOT HER!_ Adam screamed, ripping away a few wooden boards to reveal a patch of bloody copper skin. Seth screamed in the other room, Embry bounding off to find him when another pair of cold arms wrapped themselves around my neck, keeping me in a chokehold. I gripped onto the vampire, hurling it over my shoulders and stomping in its face, porcelain remains exploding through the room as I did so.

_HOW MANY OF THESE GOD DAMN THINGS ARE THERE?_ Michael demanded, growling loudly at another couple facing him in the laundry room.

I whirled, hissing as a cold rush of air passed over me, a tiny, black-haired girl staring wide-eyed at me. I narrowed my eyes at her, horror washing over me.

"You look like you're ten years old." I whispered, eying her itty bitty boy-like frame.

"Looks aren't everything, Sweetheart." She smiled silkily, the entire room turning black.

"EMBRY!" I screamed, her claws digging across my chest. I couldn't see worth a shit, and I had absolutely no idea why. I flickered through everyone's mind, trying to get a good enough view on the room to where I could understand what was going on. Seth was lying face first on the carpet in the living room, barely moving as he watched me and the small vampire. The entire room looked perfectly fine aside from the shattered ceiling and glass littering the ground. The point was, there was no black smoke, no curtain, no nothing covering anybody's sight, just me waving frantically through the air in an attempt to notice what was going on.

_Some of them have gifts! _Seth cried, still keeping his eyes locked on mine.

I focused in on his view, composing myself in enough time to duck underneath her swinging claws. They dug into the wall instead, the girl screeching and tearing out a chunk of dry-paneling as she whirled on her heels, reaching for me again. I swung my arm over her head, catching her opposite shoulder. She attempted to swing around too slow, giving me enough time to dig my foot in between her shoulder blades, slamming her face against the wall. The vampire sunk halfway through it, shoving off of the inside paneling and whirling around with her claws at the ready. I jumped back, darting away further and further until finally I'd run out of space between the opposite wall and I, having to duck to dodge her deadly nails. Her fist went through the window, one of the panes completely crumbling against her strong touch. She laughed as my eyes widened, although, in my own mind, I was still unable to see a damn thing.

"SETH, GET A LITTLE CLOSER PLEASE." I panicked, stumbling drunkenly about the room, doing anything I could to keep from being hit. At one point, I stepped on a slippery board, the entire thing sweeping clean from underneath my feet, sending me crashing to the ground for a split second as she kicked wildly, her toes catching me in the rib, sending me flying through the ceiling and into the room above, next to Mrs. Call's.

"Oh sweet balls." I groaned, panting now. Embry was taking on three at a time, Seth was barely able to see straight, Quil and Michael were chasing at least five around the house, and Leah wasn't even breathing anymore.

The girl swung herself through the hole I'd left in the ceiling, her fingers clenching down around my throat as she lifted me clean off the ground, pinning me up against the wall. I squirmed within her grip, her hand already beginning to crush my windpipe.

"You're a sad bunch, you know," she giggled. "No wonder Vladdy thought it'd be a good idea to pick you first."

"First?"

"You think you're the only thing he's after?" she smiled. "Cocky girl. If he's really going to rule, he'll have to pick you _all _off….one family at a time." She raised her other hand to strike down at me, and I clenched my eyes together, ready for the pain when her fingers suddenly flew from my neck, my body hitting the ground as I gasped wildly for air. The Child was roaring at her, tearing her apart from the inside out like some kind of bitch in heat. It whirled on me, his yellow eyes grazing my own and locking me in my place.

I scrambled for the hole immediately, the Child's claws coming down on my hand just as I'd swung the rest of my body through, pinning me to the upstairs floor. I screamed, one claw popping all the way through my right hand loudly, blood starting to pool around my fingers. Hisses flew through the house, a new scent rising in the air. Mine.

The Child howled loudly, bending its head down dangerously close to my face. It sniffed at my cheeks, then my neck, its pupils widening and closing by the second, its entire furry body inching closer to me. My breathing was heavy and slow, my heart racing as I waited to be eaten alive, the Child studying me like I was some type of dessert. I flickered my eyes up to its own yellow ones, his teeth glinting inches away from my jaw.

"You killed Elissa." I whispered darkly, glaring at it. The Child blinked at me for a moment, throwing its head back and howling loudly again, roaring at me in frustration. It yanked me towards its black body, and as soon as I had good enough footing, I bolted through the door, the Child bounding closely behind. As I rounded the staircase, it threw itself through one of the ceiling-holes, landing cleanly in front of me and nudging me back up to the second floor.

"EMBRY!" I screamed again, the Child snarling at his very name. Paul and a leech crashed through the wall behind us, shattering the banister, the staircase literally snapping in half as we started on a fall towards the living room. I clung to the railing, sliding a few feet down it before it finally broke off from the rest of the banister, dropping me to the floor with the Child tumbling down only seconds later. It spotted me, kicking its leg back and knocking me up against the living room wall next to Seth, baring its teeth as the rest of the Pack started to corner us all in, ready to attack.

_Let me have it,_ Quil snarled dangerously, flickering his black tail to and fro, his chocolate colored paws digging into the carpet.

_He's mine._ Embry ordered, growling, stepping ahead from everyone else.

_Em, look at him._ Adam hissed, the Child pacing back and forth, his back to me. _He's gonna fend us all off and then eat her like breakfast. Rip the motherfucker a part._

_You're wrong. _Michael declared, his eyes narrowing in on us. _He's pacing in front of her, he's trying to protect her._

_FROM US? _Embry shrieked, roaring. The Child didn't even flinch, keeping his stance in front of me.

I leaned down to Seth, stroking his hair quietly as he whimpered, phasing back to a human within seconds.

"Breathe, baby, please breathe," I murmured, tears slipping down my face as he sobbed. "It's gonna hurt okay? I have to do it before they start healing." I moved over to awkwardly-bent arm, the limb laying at an angle that was simply inhuman. I took a deep breath, nodding to him quickly before snapping it back into its place, his screaming and the occasional snarl from one the wolves being the only sound filling the house. I moved down his side as quickly as I could, re-setting each rib, breaking half the bones in his left leg again just so they'd heal at the right angles.

"I'm done," I breathed, trying not to sob as Seth clung to me like a baby boy. "I promise, I'm done, I'm done." I whimpered, kissing his sweaty forehead, laying his face against my lap.

I snapped my head up, the Child howling loudly as Vladimir's voice echoed through the house. I was on my feet in seconds, snarls ripping through my throat as my eyes searched frantically for him, my most desperately hated leech ringing in my ears.

"Lovely show, little ones," his voice cooed sickeningly. "But I'm afraid I have to pull the plug. BOY, leave now," he ordered, the Child whimpering lightly before growling one last time at Embry, throwing himself out of the window. Embry roared, moving to follow him but Adam stepped in his place immediately, blocking his path and shaking his head. "It's a shame you refuse to cooperate, Hybrid. This time around you weren't as lucky…let us hope it doesn't become a trend."

A wave of energy flew over the house as his voice disappeared, the sound of wings batting against the air ferociously, diminishing over the course of a few minutes. There was a hush in the house again, all of us observing the destruction we'd cause. Embry's human face fell he ran back into the room ahead of the others, taking in his ruined home. I caught Seth and I's reflection in the mirror, the sight pricking tears in my eyes. My waves flew around my torso like they were mid-typhoon, dirt and soot smeared randomly across my face, my hand pouring blood with Mrs. Call's blouse nearly destroyed and tarnished. Seth laid his head in my lap, tears pouring from his eyes as he sobbed at the sight of Leah crumpled up on the floor, Adam doing CPR as soon as he was human again. Quil slumped against the wall, his arms thrown over his pulled-up knees, his hands clenching in and out of fists while his face twisted unnaturally with rage. Michael sat silently next to him, snapping his knee back into place with a desperate wince of pain.

Leah coughed loudly, gasping for air as her eyelids fluttered open lightly, Adam cupping her dirty face in his dirtier hands.

"That's right, there ya go, breathe baby, wake up for me okay? Wake up."

"We're in so much trouble." Seth breathed slowly, staring at the ceiling with wet eyes. Embry stayed silent, running his fingers over a few shattered picture frames, what was left of them crumbling in his too-strong fingers.

"Embry, you have to tell her now."

"The secret's more important."

"She's your Mom, dude. She's gonna understand."

"You think she will?" Embry whirled, clenching his jaw. "You think she's gonna accept all of this shit just because I'm her son?"

I winced, never hearing Embry swear like that in our entire time of knowing each other.

"If you just told her about the wolf thing it'd make your life so much easie-"

"WHO SAID MY LIFE WAS EASY TO BEGIN WITH?" Embry demanded, starting to shake again. I winced again, not because of the words themselves, but because of the truth underneath them. This _was _our life. This. Mass destruction, lives crumbling in front of all of us, at our own hands. It was our fault.

I sighed, more tears making trails through the dirt on my face as I stood slowly, the sound of heavy paws growing closer and closer.

"Here they come." I said quietly, fearfully, my voice cracking somewhat at the end. We all braced ourselves, listening as Dad, along with Jacob, Brady, Collin and Sam crashed through the line of trees. Sam's voice came first.

"What the Hell?" he demanded, he and Dad running through what was left of the front door, snapping their eyes around to meet us in the living room. All of them rushed in, Sam and Dad wrapping their arms around me, Jacob running to Leah's side and Collin and Brady sinking next to Seth and Michael.

"Oh, baby, oh baby," Dad murmured into my hair, planting kisses all over my face. "Please tell me you're okay, tell me you-"

"I'm alright, Dad. I'm fine." I whispered, leaning against his chest.

"What happened?"

"They came outta nowhere," Seth choked, still wincing from the slight pain. "There was at least 15 of them, Sam. No warning, no nothing.

"What the vampi-"

"Vladimir was here, but no one ever saw him. He didn't come till the end. Kitty's wolf showed up, nonetheless."

"He isn't my anything," I hissed, remembering Elissa. I fled to the kitchen, everyone protesting at me angrily as I rounded the corner. Lightening flashed across my face, my eyes widening in absolute horror as I ran into the room, my feet sliding slightly in the giant, empty puddle of blood in the center. "She was in here!" I screamed, losing my mind.

"Who was in here? Kitty what happened?" Embry asked, grabbing my face in my hands.

"The beginning of the fight," I cried, completely horrified. "He bit her, he tore open her neck and she was laying right here, she was dead, I heard her heart stop! Embry I'm not crazy, I'm-"

"I know, I know, Baby. You aren't crazy, you're safe. They must've…they must've…."

"NO! No, no, no, no!" I screamed, already knowing the answer as I sunk to my knees, the sobs I was holding back shaking my entire frame. They'd taken her. Eaten her bit by bit like some sort of meal. And it was my fault for leaving her there.

"Embry-" Dad shot, barely able to get the words out before we heard a car door slam.

Embry's eyes widened in horror before he grabbed my arm, making a run for it. With nearly all of the walls knocked down, it was practically a straight-shot from the half-open kitchen to the barely-there front door, and even if we'd stayed put, we would've been in plain sight of Mrs. Call as she and Mom got out of the car, both of their eyes wide.

"What happened?" Mom cried, running to Dad. He held her close to his chest, murmuring into her ear before letting her flee to Sam and Adam and I, her hands running all over us as she searched for injuries.

"Leah's in the living room, she needs help." I sniffled, Mom nodding her head and darting off. Tension was vibrating between all of us as we stood together, all facing Embry's mom. I squeezed his hand as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Mom, I-"

"WHAT IS THIS?" She shrieked, Embry flinching at her shrill tone. "YOU DID THIS!"

"It's just tha-"

"YOU'VE RUINED MY HOME! YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!"

"Tiffany, you need to-"

"STOP IT, SAM! IT'S YOUR FAULT TO BEGIN WITH!" She accused, her eyes blazing with fury. "IT STARTED WITH YOU. WHEN HE WAS JUST A BOY, SAM, IT STARTED WITH ALL OF YOU!"

"MOM JUS-"

"I WANT YOU OUT!" She screamed, hurling herself at Embry before I threw myself in the way.

"THERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO SEE!" I yelled, stopping her. She narrowed her eyes at me, seething before I nodded to Collin, who stretched, taking a deep breath before shuddering.

Dad and I kept our eyes on Mrs. Call's face as Collin exploded behind us, bursting out of his skin, his clothes raining around us all in tatters. Her expression seemed to shift every second, going a little something like this: First, she was pissed. Extremely pissed, furious that I'd dare step in front of her when I was one of those who'd helped burn her house down. Second, she was confused, almost disgusted as she watched Collin tremor violently in his spot, his breathing picking up to an abnormal rate. Thirdly, she was horrified. Afraid he'd probably drop into her yard and have a God damn seizure, then later, a brand new terror dawning over her as she realized that wasn't it, that it was something much, much worse. As Collin phased right before her eyes, she turned to her son, disgust washing over her face again.

"You're one of them?" she whispered horrified, her eyes huge. Embry drug his eyes back to hers shamefully, nodding slightly.

Mrs. Call snorted, shaking her head furiously as her eyes flickered back and forth between the wolf and her son, shoving past him after a few moments.

"Mom, it isn't as bad as you think." He pleaded, following her as she walked straight into what used to be the sitting room, her shattered dresser laying in a heap in what used to be a corner, picking up clothes that used to be sensible enough to wear in public. She shoved several outfits into her purse at once.

"Isn't that bad." She snarled to herself mockingly, picking up random things in the rubble.

"Mom if you would just let me-"

"IF I WOULD LET YOU WHAT?" She challenged, screaming again as she whirled to face him. Embry jumped back few inches as she cornered him against the wall, his face filled with torment. "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE EMBRY. LOOK WHAT YOU'VE MADE OF MY HOME. IS THIS WHY YOU'VE BEEN SNEAKING OUT EVERY NIGHT? IS THIS WHY YOU'RE NEVER HOME? BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT SOME SICK FASCINATIONS WITH THIS LEGEND?"

"Mom it's not a legend it's right in front of you!"

"IT'S MAKE-BELIEVE, AND YOU'RE A SICK BOY!"

"I'M NOT SICK, I NEED YOUR HELP!"

"YOU NEED MORE HELP THAN MINE." She hissed, glaring at him once more before going back to her scavenge. Embry's strong expression was starting to break, the sight of his mother running away from him shattering every fiber of his heart, and I felt like pouncing on her, skinning her alive, feeding her to the leeches for making him hurt so badly.

"You have to understand, I don't have any choice! We ALL had our secrets, Mom, especially you and Billy."

"What?" she whirled again, dropping a small piece of China she'd managed to find in the rubble. "That was a secret kept to PROTECT YOU."

"Protect me from what? From this, because you know it's true?"

"IT'S LEGEND."

"THEN HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?" Embry screamed, waving his hand in Collin's direction.

"You're seeing things. You're sick, and now I am too and I need to get away."

"Mom I haven't even-"

"YOU'VE DESTROYED MY HOME."

"IT'S MY HOME TOO!"

"Not anymore." She hissed quietly, Embry freezing in his place. My mouth fell open in horror, goose bumps raising across my arms. Embry looked like a four year old who'd just gotten slapped in the face.

"What are you talking about?" he choked out, his voice broken and empty.

"You know what I'm talking about." She whispered, clenching her jaw, regret and shame and sadness and guilt washing over her face, tears spilling over her eyes.

"No, no, no, no." Embry panicked, shaking his head, looking frantically around the field to all of us for help.

"Just gotta get out of here." Mrs. Call breathed, shaking her head along with him, her lip quivering.

"Where are we going, then?"

"We aren't going anywhere, Em."

Embry clenched his jaw, his breathing growing thick as his mother backed away from him, clutching whatever she'd found to her chest.

"Mom don't."

"I can't do it anymore Embry. I just can't."

"Momma don't leave." He broke quietly, his fists clenching as he stared at his feet.

"I'm not doing it!" Mrs. Call yelled. "I WON'T DO IT ANYMORE!" She flew to her car, Mom trying desperately to talk her into staying as she tossed herself behind the wheel, revving it up.

"Tiff you can't just leave him." Mom pleaded, sticking her head in the door.

"His father left us." Embry's mom growled bitterly. "So I can leave too."

Those were the last words she spoke to any of us, disappearing through the trees within seconds, the rumble of the car engine all-too-detectable through my ears for more miles than necessary. I drug my eyes back to Embry reluctantly, pain washing all throughout me as I did.

He was trembling, staring at his own hands furiously, tears streaming down his face as he burst out of his body, a giant grey wolf standing in his place, its fur standing to a point. He roared, a large mass of birds exploding from the trees around us, every animal scampering for cover, everyone in the field flinching slightly, even Dad and Jacob, at the noise. It went on for minutes, Embry howling in hatred and pain, every creature within the forest of La Push faltering underneath the weight of their leader's sorrow.

"Let me take him." I murmured to Dad, not taking my eyes off the roaring animal. Dad gave me a protesting look before Mom grabbed a hold of his arm, glancing at him worriedly. Finally Dad gave me an approving nod, and I moved slowly, making my way towards a furious Embry.

He whimpered at me loudly, tears matting his snout, the beast backing away from me slowly.

_Move before you get hurt. _He pleaded angrily, moving further and further away. I stayed silent, following in his tracks. When he moved, I moved, there was no argument. _Kitty plea-_

I laid my hand against the side of his face, Embry cutting off and leaning into my touch immediately, the tears coming quicker now as he nearly trampled me, shoving his body against mine so that I could pet him more vigorously.

"Can I take you somewhere?" I asked quietly, pulling away to look at him. He nodded subtly, keeping his eyes on the ground as I grabbed hold of some fur, leading him gently away from the ruined house. He was silent the entire way, not a word being spoken between us, the air dead silent. At this point, I didn't care if Vladimir came back, I didn't care if the Child ripped my throat out, didn't care if we both got shot in the head, because it would've hurt a Hell of a lot less than this did.

I stopped at the edge of my favorite pool, the water glistening down the rocks silently, the thunder grumbling overhead. There were no insecurities present as I stripped bare naked, my clothes laying in a heap at my feet, Embry lacing his human fingers in mine seconds later, still silent.

We jumped in at the same time, the cool, clean water washing us completely clean as we did so. We floated, letting reality escape us, the need for air becoming a slight one. I opened my eyes, looking over to him under the surface. Embry's own dark eyes fluttered open as he turned his head slowly, our gazes locking with dismay. He pulled his fingers from mine, wrapping them around my hip and pulling me towards him, my body responding to his instinctively. I cupped his face in my hands, his warm arms constricting my sides as our lips brushed sweetly, the kiss short but passionate.

There was no reality but the one we'd made for each other, nothing to turn back to and fear, nothing to pay attention to as we embraced, the swim brushing lightly against our skin. He paddled us to the surface slowly, both of us taking a light breath as soon as air became an option again, water droplets dripping from his gorgeous copper face, some of them building in the dimple on his chin before flooding over.

"Feel it?" I whispered quietly, our eyes hooked onto each other. "It can wash it away. Just let it wash it away."

Embry looked like a child, latching onto every word I spoke in silence.

"It helps you breathe better," I said quietly, my secrets becoming his. "If you want to, we can go back down, yeah? Forget about the world for a couple minutes again?"

Embry nodded lightly, and I laced my fingers in his, bringing them to my mouth and kissing them gently, as if they could shatter under my touch.

"Don't think," I guided softly. "Just close your eyes and float," I breathed, Embry looking at me like I was his savior. "You ready? I'll go when you go. I'll stay when you stay. I'll follow you anywhere, promise. One…two…three."

We disappeared beneath the surface once more, escaping the world and all of its horrid contents, not a soul in the world being able to find us for minutes on end.


	19. Whoa, Whoa, WHAT?

**Just a warning, this one is super short...but super deadly.**

**Make sure you guys are reviewing the chapters as I write, that way I know what you all think and how I can improve! I love hearing that people are enjoying the story(: You're all probably gonna kill me for this...but hey, you're only a teenage girl surrounded by a shape-shifting family once, right?**

**xox-Arbor**

* * *

><p>The office woman shot us a dirty look as she handed Embry and I our passes, earning a growl from me. No wonder Adam hated her. She'd gone from cherry pie to poison apple in a matter of weeks, thanks to me and my brothers' reoccurring truancy. Whatever. It was a miracle I'd even managed to drag Embry out of the house, let alone get him to come to school.<p>

I grimaced, trying to shed light on how much progress we'd made since his Mom had up and left La Push like a ghost.

After three days, he still wouldn't come out of the room Mom and Sam had given to him. On the fourth, he still wasn't eating. On the fifth, he smashed his guitar. On the sixth day, he'd finally let himself cry. You could hear him sniffling through the wall if you listened hard enough. On the seventh day, in the middle of the night, I found him asleep outside my bedroom door. On the eight day, he finally came downstairs to eat with us…and on the ninth, he spoke for the first time in a week.

"I swear, she's gonna slaughter us all one day." He muttered, shooting a dirty look at the attendance lady as we left.

My eyes snapped up to his as we walked, my jaw nearly hitting the floor as I realized that after having days to come up with something to say when he decided to talk again, I had nothing.

"Y-yeah. She's crazy. No wonder Adam hates her."

"I miss Adam."

"He misses you too. He's home all the time, Em. Why don't you ever talk to him?"

"He has Melissa," he shrugged, a slight sting building in my chest. "And how pathetic would it look if I followed my girlfriend around everywhere she went like he did? It put you out of the question too."

"Not at all." I murmured, looking down at the floor again. Guilt washed over Embry's face, his right hand gripping the strap of his backpack.

"I'm really sorry, Kitty." He whispered after a few moments, stopping in his tracks. I slowed down, turning to face him.

"What are you talking about? You don't have anything to be sorry fo-"

"I'm not gonna stick around your house and make everybody just as depressed as I am."

"Embry you're home with me because it's where your family's at."

"I'm home with you because your parents feel sorry for me," He shot, his eyes snapping up to meet mine. I wavered under his glare, staring up at him through thick lashes. "Just because my Mom doesn't want the job doesn't mean she can throw it onto somebody else."

"Don't say that!" I argued, stepping up to level myself with him. "We want you home, we want yo-"

"No matter how much your parents give me it'll be out of pity, Arbor. I love all of you more than anything but if my own Mom doesn't want me around then who wou-"

"I do."

Embry's face went hot, his jaw clenching for a moment before he tried to shove past me. I threw myself in front of him, dropping my bag and slamming my arms around his torso. Embry let his bookbag slide off his shoulder silently, his arms raised as he tried to recoil.

"I know, I get it," I whispered into his chest. "You're scared everybody's gonna leave, or everyone's gonna get tired of you…but nobody ever could, Em. Nobody. It's impossible to hate you."

Every muscle in Embry's body went tense for a moment before his arms slowly found their way around my back, his hot face buried in the top of my head as he constricted me.

"I love you." He whispered, his voice breaking slightly.

"It'll get better, Em. I promise it will. You don't need her."

Embry nodded slowly, pulling away to look at me before brushing his lips against mine. The kiss was gentle at first, almost timid….and then all Hell broke loose. Embry and I started breathing heavily, both of our faces slightly twisted in confusion as the need for each other overwhelmed us. The skin underneath his shirt felt fire hot, the warmth seeping through the fabric as he worked hungrily at my mouth, my fingers tangled in his hair.

The bell rang loudly, both of us jumping a part as soon as the sound reached our ears. Our eyes flickered between each other and the ground, our hair frizzed and cheeks flushed.

"I am so sorry," Embry whispered, his face horror-struck. "I didn't mean to get that rough I just-"

"You're fine! You're fine, trust me, boy are you fine…." I trailed off, trying to catch my breath and encourage him at the same time. We stared at each other for a minute, students starting to flood the hallways before Embry snatched up his backpack and turned on his heels, wading through the crowd of people to get to class. I watched him leave, unsure of what to do as I picked my bag off the floor and threw it over one shoulder, my heart still racing when Melissa's hand clamped down on my shoulder.

"Hey-Ahh, OW. OW, Liss, what the Hell are you doing?" I demanded as she steered me furiously in the other direction, her face bright red.

"THERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO SEE." She boomed, bulldozing everyone in her way, using my body as a shield.

"What are you talking abo-OW, GODDAMIT MELISSA." I whined, her fingers growing tighter as we rounded the corner.

"I swear to God, Arbor Uley if I find out you were lying to me the other day about Elissa Esclave, I'll kill you."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" I screamed, whirling on her as kids started staring. Melissa shook her head furiously, still pushing me towards the class. I marched backwards, my face fuming as my eyes locked on hers.

"KITTY, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU, BUT SOME REAL WEIRD SHIT IS GOING ON AND I'M NOT SURE I CAN HANDLE IT." She wailed, shaking her head still, her eyes wide.

"MELISSA IF YOU'RE STUPID ENOUGH TO THINK I'D, I'D, I'D….UGH! WHO LIES ABOUT SOMEBODY-"

Melissa whirled me around in the door of our Math classroom, my jaw hitting the floor the second I was able to see straight. "…..dying." the last word came out barely a whisper, the air rushing out of my lungs as a pair of blue, sparkly eyes landed on mine, a sweet and deadly smile shot in my direction, a horde of boys surrounding her as she perched on her desk, her pale skin glowing. It felt like the world was melting. My heart dropped to the soles of my feet, pumping a million miles an hour as I stared at Elissa Esclave.


	20. Riddles

"I SAW HER." I exploded, my face hot, my heart racing as the entire Pack sat around the living room listening to my story.

"She isn't lying," Adam murmured, staring at the wall equally horrified. I'd nearly ripped his head clean off as I jerked it into my classroom door earlier, demanding to have a witness. "She was living and breathing and….God she even smelled like daisies." He wailed, throwing his face in his hands. Melissa rubbed his back soothingly, her eyes red and blotchy from all the crying she'd done after I'd torn her away from school. This wasn't happening. This. Was. Not. Happening.

"Yes it is." Embry seethed, seeming to read my mind and counter my chanting. I clung to the couch, my chest raising and falling rapidly as my breaths grew quicker, my heart beginning to pick up at the mere memory of what'd happened only a few hours ago.

_I turned to Melissa, my eyes flickering between her and the demon girl sitting in the back row as my veins dissolved into nothing under my skin. Eli strolled in beaming, a horde of teenage girls drooling behind him in lust. His face fell as soon as he caught my expression._

"_What's wrong?" he asked, concern filling his tone. I shook my head wildly, unable to utter sensible English as my eyes flickered back to his sister._

"_What happened to Elissa?" I demanded, staring up at him. He furrowed his brow, his gaze turning to her before back at me, his eyes troublesome._

"_I don't know what you're talking about, Kitty," he said softly. "Are you sure you're alright?"_

_ I shoved past him, sinking into my usual seat with Elissa's eyes still glued to the side of my face, Melissa sitting to my left. _

"_Something isn't right," she murmured manically, her eyes wide, locked on her desk. "Arbor this shit is weird. Not just underground werewolf La Push weird, but fucking weird."_

"_Just breathe." I whispered, wondering if Elissa had come back to life with demonic super hearing. _

"What do we do?"

"What the Hell _CAN _we do?" I countered, turning to Quil as the memory faded and I snapped back to reality.

"What we SHOULDN'T do is freak out." Dad warned.

"FREAK OUT? WE SHOULDN'T FREAK OUT? SAM, WHEN I CALLED HER A BITCH FROM HELL IN THE EIGTH GRADE I DIDN'T THINK I WAS ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO SATAN." Melissa shot, going insane.

"OH SWEET JESUS, I BET HE'S COME FOR ME," Adam wailed, starting to cry. He threw his hands in the air, staring at the ceiling. "I'M SORRY!" he cried loudly to the sky. "I'M SORRY FOR THE TIME I TOOK THE HEAD OFF KITTY'S PEEWEE DOLL."

"THAT WAS YOU?" I screeched, suddenly furious as I flung myself at him. Embry held me back as Adam jumped to his feet.

"I TOLD YOU IT WASN'T ME!" Sam screeched, remembering the time I'd chipped his baby tooth for the crime.

"HER NAME WAS KENZIE AND SHE WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING EVER." I wailed.

"IT WAS JUST A TOY." Adam yelled furiously, tears streaming down his face.

"THAT DOLL LOVED EVERY PART OF MY SOUL."

"SHE WAS FAKE."

"SHE WAS MY ONLY FRIEND IN THE SIXTH GRADE YOU BASTARD!"

"YOU USED MY TOOTHBRUSH TO SCRUB THE TOILET SO THE BITCH HAD TO DIE-"

"WHO THE HELL PUT YOU TWO IN CHARGE?" Michael screamed, slapping Adam on the back of the head.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP," Embry boomed, his Alpha tone ringing through the air. "EXCEPT FOR KITTY."

"THE FUCK YOU MEAN EXCEPT FOR KITTY? THAT'S BYIST!" Adam cried.

"I'LL BYIST MY FOOT UP YOUR ASS IF YOU DON'T STO-"

"CAN ALL OF YOU BE QUIET?" Melissa begged, everybody silencing at the sound of a usually unfamiliar voice. "Have you all forgotten we've got a zombie on our hands here?"

I scowled, crossing my arms and shoving my face into Embry's chest as Adam sniffled and rubbed the back of his head, slumping down at the computer desk and throwing his face on the keyboard.

"What are we gonna do?" Seth sighed, his eyes wide.

"We've never had a problem like this," Dad muttered, still somewhat bewildered by our tale. "I have no idea what we're supposed to do. Unless we know what she is we can't kill her."

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Adam screamed, suddenly animated again. "If we don't kill her, she'll eat Kitty alive! You shoulda seen the way she was looking at her!"

"What the Hell do you mean?" Embry demanded, bringing a slight smile to my face even though the time didn't call for it.

"I say we just ask." Quil shot, shrugging.

"It can't hurt." Paul agreed subtly, staring at his nails.

"And when she tears my throat out?" I argued, turning to face them.

"She won't touch you." Embry growled seriously, staring down at me. I leaned my head back against his chest, placing an arm around one of the ones he held around my waist.

"If she wanted to kill me, she would've done it sooner don't you think?" I asked quietly.

"Maybe she didn't have the option," Michael suggested. "I mean we don't know where the hell she's been for seven days. We spent five of them looking for her all over Washington, if we couldn't sniff her out, there's a reason."

"You think she left the state?"

"I think she left this dimension." Adam grumbled. Melissa shot him a look, but it melted quickly, replaced with adoration as she threw herself into his lap, pouting just like I was.

"The point is, we don't have a whole lot of time." Dad murmured.

"We should tell Jacob and the Cullen's," Embry decided, everyone nodding their head in agreement. "Until we know what Elissa is, everyone could be in danger for all we know."

* * *

><p>I leaned my head against the window of Em's charger, the trees blurring by as Quil and Collin chatted quietly in the backseat.<p>

"You okay?" Embry asked quietly, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I'll feel better when we get out of the car." I murmured.

"Carsick?"

"Nope."

"Home sick?"

"Nope."

"What's wrong?"

"I miss you." I pouted, glancing at him. Embry's face lit up, his cheeks turning pink.

"I'm right here, Kitty."

"Right here, driving. I want you right here, doing other things."

Embry's face was flaming now as his eyebrows shot up, and he cleared his throat a few times, the car beginning to pick up speed.

"You'll be the death of me, Arbor Uley."

"Yeah, yeah, like I haven't heard that one before." I smirked, eying him. Embry laughed, turning into the long driveway of the Cullen's place, the bright silver sky reflecting off their many windows.

Embry flew to my door before I even had a chance to shift in my seat, opening it wide open for me as he usually did. I smiled at him, keeping my eyes locked on his as I set my feet on the pavement and rose to a stand, Quil and Collin climbing out of the back.

Edward already had the entire story down before we got to the front door, scanning everybody's mind as we made our way up the large front steps.

"Are you sure you saw her get bitten, Kitty?" Carlisle murmured cautiously, staring at me. I nodded furiously, Embry agreeing right away.

"Both of us saw the thing take a huge chunk out of her neck."

"And you're positive she died?"

"Carlisle I heard her heart stop beating," I pressed. "She died in my arms."

"Then it's just as bad as we fear," he sighed quietly, his eyebrows knitting together. "I've never even heard of such a thing."

"It ate her, it had to have eaten her."

"Then how the Hell did she get back to school, Adam?" Michael argued, shooting him a stupid look. Adam rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in defeat as arguments flew around the room as to what she was.

"I mean she got bitten. What if she's turned?" I suggested, everyone's eyes finding mine.

"That's a good sugges-…..you realize we won't harm you, right?" Carlisle trailed off, trying to hold back a laugh at the sight of Melissa's face. She was staring at them wide-eyed, half terrified and half dazzled by their looks. We all chuckled quietly.

"You'll get used to it." I murmured, nudging her and giving her a light smile.

Edward furrowed his brow, Carlisle raising his slightly. Esme went to go cook as they led us upstairs into Carlisle's large study/lab, the same room we'd gotten checked out in a hundred times over. Edward was flickering amongst the massive shelves of books, finally pulling a few from the wall. He was over to us in seconds, everyone sinking into seats around the room, Embry and I leaning against one of the Southern windows that looked into the forest.

"Children of the Moon," Edward nodded after a moment, finally finding what he was looking. "There's a legend behind it, if you think it'll help us. It's a little long."

"We got time." I shrugged.

"Maybe." Adam muttered darkly, Melissa swatting him on the back of the head. Edward laughed quietly, leaning against the wall as he started the story.

"Hailing from Europe, Children of the Moon, or the original Slaves of Night, change form only at night, and during the fullest phase of the moon. While in their werewolf form, Children of the Moon are not aware of their human selves; they are feral rather than rational although with enough practice and a strong enough will, the Child may learn to shift on their own accord, being able to comprehend human speech if necessary. Usually, they run alone, or with one companion of the opposite gender. Children of the Moon cannot breed in their animal form; they can spread their species most effectively by infecting other humans through a bite. In their animal form, Children of the Moon have heightened strength and speed that make them both deadly and difficult to kill; contrary to legend, these werewolves cannot be killed with a silver bullet, nor does silver repel them. Their amplified abilities make them capable of destroying a lone vampire."

"It took several of us to kill Laurent…" Quil murmured warily, looking somewhat scared. Edward pursed his lips, biting it before starting again.

"One advantage the werewolf has in both his or her human and animal forms is immunity to vampire venom, both the transformative properties and the pain-producing properties. Before transformations they have a tendency to feel drained and physically exhausted, sometimes to the point of hallucinations. After the first change, however, they become just as attractive as their fatal enemy-appearance, scent, sound and seduction skills are all sharpened to their finest in order to draw out prey."

"Oh my God…" I murmured, Melissa shooting me a knowing look.

"Because vampires and Children of the Moon share the same food source and because each is an exception to the other's near indestructibility, they are natural enemies. Over time, however, the vampires have hunted the once populous werewolves into near extinction."

"You mean like the Volturi did with the shape-shifters?" Jacob grimaced, wrinkling his nose.

"I highly doubt they got them all," Edward countered. "He was more than surprised when they came to see Renesmee years ago, and James had once thought about a time he'd hunted one all the way to Siberia when we were in the baseball field. I'm sure there's plenty with the gene, just not the conditions to activate it."

"Lucky bastards." Michael smirked, leaning his head against the table.

"So the Prom Queen's a fucking werewolf. Great." Adam muttered, Sam looking exasperated next to him.

"Who bit her then?" Quil challenged. "Someone had to do it, right?"

"We still have to find out who the first is," I murmured, crossing my arms. "This is like a puzzle with no God damn picture, we have no idea what we're trying to put together!"

"Calm down." Embry murmured soothingly in my ear, kissing my temple.

"So we find out who bit her and we've got our guy!"

"Or who gave birth to her," Collin shrugged, laughing darkly. "It'll be fun to take out a whole family."

I knitted my eyebrows together, something clicking in the back of my mind that I was idiotic enough to ignore the past few weeks.

"Edward, what was the original like?" I asked quietly, eying him. He flipped through the pages once more.

"Ahhh, a man. He originated from France, had a nice house, a wife, children."

"What happened to them?"

"The wife and son were found slaughtered. The daughter was assumed to be…ah…."

"Eaten alive." Jacob shot, pouting while Ness tried to calm him down. Edward rolled his eyes.

"Something like that."

"You said they came from France?"

"You know…." Edward murmured, reading my mind. I nodded slowly, my face going completely blank as everyone stared at me.

"I know exactly who we're looking for." I murmured sadly.

"Who?" Sam shot, pushing off the wall and standing straight.

"Slave is English for the French word-"

"Wait." Edward hissed, his ears perking up. Everyone turned at the same time, Jasper and Emmett walking into the house, dragging a guest along with them.

We all shot for the door, the stairs creaking in protest as all 20 of us tried to get down the stairs at once.

"What the Hell is this?" I demanded, staring at the pale leech wriggling in Emmett and Jasper's grasp, her crimson red eyes flickering to my face with a slight smile. "You." I glared. Everyone shot me a confused look. "This is the bitch that attacked me at the Zoo when I-"

"Language." Esme murmured in Dad's place.

"You were at the Zoo?" Adam asked.

"You got ATTACKED at the Zoo?" Melissa asked even louder, both of them shooting me a look.

"Long story." I grumbled, snapping my eyes back to hers. "What the Hell do you want?"

"We found her sulking outside the house." Emmett growled.

"So why didn't you kill her?" Sam shot.

"She has a message." Jasper smirked skeptically, shooting her a look.

"Let's hear it." I demanded, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow at her.

"Vladimir wanted me to let you know," she hissed. "That while you continue to avoid him, he makes himself busy by hunting down your friends."

"Who the Hell are you talking about?" I inched towards her, the boys starting to shake behind me.

"He'll kill them all, little one. And he starts with tonight."

"Tell me the name!"

"Look for the one with eyes like no other." She smirked.

"Giving me a riddle?"

The twin turned her head from me, clearly finished with her small speech. I was beyond furious, I was seeing red. I spat in her face, smirking at the sound of snapping metal as Jasper and Emmett finished her off, dragging her porcelain body into the forest to burn.

"Someone's in trouble." Sam hurried, his face full of fear.

"The one with eyes like no other…" I murmured again to myself, my heart beat picking up as time began running out.

"Come on, Kitty, we don't have all day!" Adam hissed, Melissa hitting him as usual.

"Somebody blind?"

"Who the Hell goes after a blind person?"

"Someone like Vladimir."

"Seth, shut up."

"Don't tell me to shut up-"

"I'll tell you whatever I wa-"

"Maybe it's someone with Glaucoma?"

"Oh my GOD, THAT'S IT, THAT'S, wait, what's Glauco-"

"SHUT UP!"

"DON'T TELL ME TO SHUT UP UNLESS YOU-"

"KITTY EVERYONE IS GETTING REEEEEAL RESTLESS HERE."

"THANKS, ADAM, I REALLY DIDN'T NOTICE WITHOUT EVERYBODY SCREAMING IN MY EAR."

"WHAT KIND OF CLUE IS THIS? EVERYBODY IN LA PUSH HAS BROWN EYES EXCEPT-"

"Claire." I breathed, my eyes snapping to Quil. Everybody went dead silent, a deadly air falling over all of us.


	21. Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me

Quil was the first person to move, which didn't surprise me one bit. He shot out of the house faster than anybody could speak, the Pack boys phasing as they fled into the forest, Emmett, Jasper, Edward, Carlisle, Esme and I right behind all of them. The trees whispered around us, Vladimir's friends appearing in the corners of my eyes as we fled, Quil darting ahead at least ten meters in front of us all.

"Here they come." I growled, gritting my teeth.

_Collin, Brady, you two take the ones coming up on our flanks. Paul, Seth, you stay with Quil and the Cullen's to make sure he doesn't get hurt. Jacob, follow them-they're gonna need a leader. I'll stay to help. _Embry ordered, immediately splitting off from our flock.

He roared, lunging to his right, a red-headed girl gasping before desperately trying to flee him. Embry had her in seconds, her right arm flying in my direction as I did an aerial over Collin, gripping a leech by the shoulder and tossing her back towards him as my feet hit the ground, whirling just in time to shove my fist through the chest of another.

Brady tossed me an arm, the claws pointed and fingers outstretched, frozen forever as I smirked. A sword. As a blonde woman screeched, the limb in my arm probably being one of her friends', I waved it at her, clicking my tongue. She was vibrating with fury, flinging herself at me in seconds. I dropped to the ground, rolling underneath her feet and shoving the claws up her torso, her voice cutting off.

A head rolled towards me, bumping me in the shoulder, the eyes wide open, along with the mouth. I flinched, attempting to scramble away, accidently dropping the limb, which sent the blonde woman's pale, unmoving, rock solid body on top of me weighing me down like six tons. I squirmed, suddenly feeling like I was about to puke. I'd done this. _We'd _done this, my family and I. Joked about it like it was a sport, competed over who could even get the most at some times. Flashes of these people back when they were human fled across my mind, acid turning up in the pit of my stomach.

_DON'T THINK ABOUT IT!_ Collin snarled, ripping another woman limb from limb. He went for the arms first, her screams echoing in the back of my head_ as _Brady pulled the blonde woman off of me. Collin took the legs next, the woman begging for him to kill her, screaming that she'll do anything as the boy viciously tore her apart.

I found myself screaming too, clawing at the sides of my face while I watched her get dismembered, the horror weighing in on my chest like twenty tons of brick. I was gonna be sick. I was gonna lose all my hair. I was about to go blind, or at least I wished I could.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!"

Collin ignored my shrieking, nipping off bits and pieces of her torso while she writhed on the ground, her perfectly straight teeth glinting in the light.

_STOP. _Embry's Alpha tone was stronger than I'd ever heard it. Even I, someone who had no obligation to bow done to that voice, crumpled to the ground underneath the severity of it, my screaming growing silent immediately.

Collin growled viciously, a cloudy musk beginning to fill my nose. I wrinkled it, the smell becoming so ridiculous that I almost started sneezing. I watched as the cinnamon colored wolf in front of me bowed his nose to the ground, whimpering as he dragged himself away from the leech's squirming body, Embry ripping her head off with a quick snap to end her misery.

_We need to burn them. The smell is horrid._ Brady whined. I shook my head furiously, a new set of horror weighing down the twenty that were already in my heart.

"It isn't the leeches," I hissed, standing to my feet and looking around frantically. "It's smoke."

We were running again, this time twice as fast as before, even though I didn't think it were possible. I winced, a branch catching me across the cheek as we weaved through the trees. I could hear the crackle of my skin as blood trickled across my jaw before the wound sealed itself shut within seconds. Mile after mile, we'd covered it in only ten minutes before breaking out to the Makah Tribe reservation, the smell of smoke growing stronger and stronger in my nose.

I could hear all of the boys, especially Embry start pushing harder and harder the closer we came, the voices of the other Pack members starting to hum in the back of my mind as we drew towards them.

"We're coming within range!" I yelled, digging my heels into the ground as hard as I could.

It was like laying on a net. Crossing the treaty line into a new reservation as wolves was like being 24023482 pounds on a hammock and having it push and push, the tension between the strings growing tighter and tighter before it finally snapped. The force of it snapped my face sideways, almost shoving me into Collin as he ran behind me, a growl erupting from his throat as the wave of energy caught him too.

We tumbled into Mr. and Mrs. Young's front yard, our eyes growing wide as we took on the scene in front of us. The entire place was going up in flames. The only part of their home that wasn't burning was on the right half of the top floor, and it was catching quicker than I could recite my ABC's. I lunged for the door immediately, Embry snarling and throwing his body in front of mine.

_YOU AREN'T GOING IN THERE._

"WHAT IF THEY NEED ME?"

_Embry, Quil ran in. We can't get to him, we don't even know what's going on, he's phased back into a human._

"HE COULD BE HURT!" I pressed, shoving against Embry's massive grey body.

_The last we heard, he'd screamed out the window that he was alright._

_How long ago was that?_

_Two, maybe three-FUCK!_

The side of the house exploded, burning glass and debris raining down all over us. I hissed furiously, dodging the tiny embers as they attempted to cling to my skin, burning the flesh. I shoved against Embry again, tears starting to prick at my eyes at the thought of Quil and Claire burning alive.

"LET ME GO!"

_HOW STUPID WOULD I HAVE TO BE-_

"WHAT HAPPENED?"We all whirled to the small voice, Claire Young staring wide-eyed at the home as she crawled out of her Jeep. My jaw hit the floor.

_If Claire isn't in there... then…._

I whirled to my right, faking Embry out as soon as he moved, pivoting on my heels and going left instead, darting into the home. The front door came off easily, nearly crumbling at my barely there touch, the mass of smoke rushing itself into my lungs. I coughed furiously, Embry's voice roaring in the back of my mind as the Pack boys held them back, doing everything they could until he finally ordered them to release him, snatching a pair of cut-offs from Claire and darting in after me.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DO-"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE _YOU _DOING?" I countered before he could even start the lecture. A large chunk of flaming wood swung in between us, nearly catching us both on fire in seconds. "WE HAVE TO FIND QUIL!" I yelled, my voice barely audible over all the noise. "SPLIT UP!"

"THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL I'M LEAVING YO-"

"EMBRY OUR FRIEND COULD DIE!"

"So could you." He pleaded quietly, his face inches from mine. My eyes flickered to the ceiling for a moment before I made my decision. I brought his lips to mine quickly, shoving him out of the way as a bed fell through the ceiling, the sheets tangled in flame.

Embry glared at me, his copper skin flashing bright orange.

"FIND HIM!" I yelled, an apology scrawled across my face. "I'LL SEE YOU OUTSIDE." Embry gave me one last look, refusing to take his eyes off me until the rest of the ceiling caved in, sending us both sprawling backwards. I shoved my fist into the wall, my face hanging inches away from a table leg that'd snapped and caught fire. The flame flickered at my chin, my skin searing before I finally had enough balance to shove away and start running.

God damn Claire Young for being so rich. The house was massive, and during my entire time playing Hide-N-Seek, I couldn't find ONE damn thing that wasn't aflame. I whirled around the corner, gasping and flinging a hand across my mouth the second I did.

The Child, along with a new friend, sniffed at the air, catching my sent for a moment before I flung myself across the wall, hiding back in the dining room once more. There was a low snarl, footsteps washing around the floor as they started their hunt.

The first floor was easy. Quil was nowhere to be found, his scent was there, but not _there, _and in the mass of fire, he was nowhere spotted. I flew up to the second floor, nearly shoving every damn door off of its hinges as I went. Claire's room was demolished. Torn to bits. I could tell Quil had been there, his scent was second strongest there, his claws marked along the walls and bedspread, burning pillow feathers littering the wooden floor,that was slowly starting to sink in. To my left was the other part of the house, the part I'd shoved Embry towards.

Fuck. Embry. If they found him, he was dead.

I found the second flight of stairs, starting my trek as a howl broke through the air, one that didn't belong to our Pack. I ran faster, my foot sinking into the sixth step on the case, all of them before it crumbling to dust as they caught fire. FUCK BALLS, WHY DID I HAVE THE WORST LUCK? I whimpered, trying to rip my ankle free as a flame on the hand railing flickered against the back of my wrist, trailing all the way up my elbow before I felt enough of it to rip my arm away.

The entire staircase caved in, the wood disappearing from beneath my feet and splintering to the ground in the living room, Embry disappearing into a room right as I'd fallen. Great. So the sound of the rest of the house burning down was no different from me falling through the steps. Now I was the one dead. I tried to push up, the wood under my arms creaking in protest as the banister grew increasingly impatient, hissing at me to move before it struck. I pushed up in one big jolt, the wood splintering immediately, now forcing me to hang by nearly a tendril. I latched onto the eighth step, pulling myself up enough that I only hung from my ribs down, the air around me growing thicker and thicker.

The banister hissed, my eyes only flickering for a split second before the entire thing crumbled down, all the railings popping off one by one, the nails completely exposed as one sunk into the middle of my knuckle, popping through the skin and splitting the bone all in one motion. A scream rumbled in my throat, one that I shoved down to the pits of my stomach, my throat clenching as tears immediately shot out of my eyes, the pain searing up my arm.

The Child and his friend appeared beneath me, the both of them still sniffing suspiciously at the air as my feet hung 15 feet above them. _Oh God, Oh God, Oh sweet God…._I thought quietly to myself, not daring to make a move. I clenched my jaw, frustrated as the blood from my hand started pooling around my knuckles, streaming down the only step between me and the gaping hole in the floor that led to my enemies. They were sniffing more furiously now, and suddenly I was thankful that the house was on fire, because if it hadn't been for all the smoke, they would've caught my scent immediately.

I winced, trying to pull the wood from my hand, but the nail had gone clear through the bone, now lodged into the step in front of me. I wiped my face quickly with my free hand, starting to rip at the buttons on my shirt as quietly as possible. The cloth came undone easily, and I tore a sheet from the left side of my torso, shoving the plaid cloth into my jaws so I wouldn't bite my own tongue off.

Slowly, painfully, I gripped onto the railing of the steps, jerking it upwards in one motion.

I would've taken that night in the woods over this, believe it or not. My teeth sunk through the cloth immediately, and I felt the blood start to pool in my mouth as well. I clenched my jaw, cursing the fact that I was part shape-shifter for once. I whimpered lightly, the blood starting its trek towards my body, near the edge of the hole. Oh fuck.

The Children below me were getting increasingly agitated, the more slender one with lighter fur even deciding to go her own path and find me by other means. I kept myself silent, gripping the banister again before going as slow as possible, the nail popping out of the wood and dragging through my bone, the little shards pressing against every muscle and vein near my center knuckle.

I inhaled deeply, relief washing over me as the nail slid out of my skin, my hand finally free from the torture. Ripping the cloth out of my mouth, I wrapped it around my hand, tearing off more of the shirt to cover it and tie.

The blood was just beginning to drip down into the living room as I heaved myself up the next flight of steps, Quil's scent growing stronger and stronger the farther I went.

"Dammit, Q." I muttered, throwing open the master bedroom door, Quil lying face first on the ground, the furniture burning around him. He was laying underneath an entire dresser, the damn thing flickering with flames at the bottom. I crawled over to him, the walls hissing in protest and the floor creaking beneath my weight. Ahh, fuck. We were about to cave.

I stretched out my fingers, the tips of them barely able to nudge him as a floor board from across the room snapped off, falling to the floor beneath us.

"Quil, come on." I huffed, starting to cough. I swatted at him frantically, afraid to move. Quil groaned, his eyelids barely fluttering open. "Come on, Love, you gotta get up."

"Claire…" he murmured aimlessly. I swatted at him.

"Claire's outside, Quil, Claire's –cough cough- Claire's outside we have to-"

"CLAIRE?" Quil shouted suddenly, shoving the dresser off of him. The weight of the heavy dresser piece was too much, and the carpet underneath it disappeared, the surrounding floor around us beginning to groan. We both looked at each other in horror, the carpet starting to tip inwards towards the center of the room.

"Now listen," I said softly, raising a hand as a sign to calm him. "All we have to do is-"

The floor snapped all at once, Quil and I both freefalling through the air as wood and flaming furniture grazed our skin, floating only inches away from us. The second story of the house was no better. It had been aflame for nearly twenty minutes now, and the pressure was too much. It caved the second we hit it, providing no cushion for the blow.

I landed on the first floor of the house with a crunch, Quil's heavy figure hitting harder than I did, every piece of furniture you could imagine heading straight for us. It all shattered against our hard skin, splintering off into bits and pieces wherever it made contact.

That didn't stop it from hurting.

Not only was all this shit six times my size, it was also on fire. Again, God damn Claire Young for being so rich. I winced as a 90 inch flatscreen shattered inches away from my face, a few flecks slicing my neck, the wounds simmering as they healed in seconds. I groaned, trying to keep my consciousness as smoke and debris filled up my lungs.

Quil snarled wildly next to me, ripping a dresser drawer that had fallen on his arm, brutally searing his left thigh. His jeans were burned all the way through, his copper skin hissing in anguish. My eyes snapped up at another noise, the bed that I'd shoved between Embry and I earlier was not only on fire, it was now crackling, ready to explode as metal and wood burned in unison. It was making a wild roaring noise, a screeching. The bed burst, metal flying everywhere, and Quil slung me underneath him, burying his face in my hair and keeping his arms around my head, the both of us readying ourselves for the pain.

It didn't come. I peeked up, Embry Call standing furiously in the doorway, his hands simmering from the flames. He snatched me to my feet, inspecting me immediately but I ripped away from him the second I could stand, dipping down and pulling one of Quil's arms over my shoulders, Embry doing the same with the other once he caught on. My eyes flickered around the house, looking for an escape when finally I got so damn fed up I shoved my foot through the wall, the entire left front of the house crumbling, more debris and furniture tumbling out into the grass as Em and I drug our friend outside.

The cool air was like a sweet relief, washing over all of my burns the second we stepped into it. I knit my eyebrows together, Collin, Brady, Paul and Michael were the only ones standing outside besides the fire department.

"What happened to everybody?" Embry demanded, handing Quil off gently to a paramedic. Michael stared at the ground sadly. Seth twisting his face up.

"It was a trick, Em."

"What the Hell do you mean it was a trick?" I hissed, still trying to cough up bits of debris and smoke.

"It was a trick to get us away from the reservation. It wasn't Claire they were going after. It was the Cullen's."

We were running again. The trees excruciatingly painful compared to the run to Claire's. Every muscle in my body ached. This wasn't training. It was real life. Parts of my skin were still sizzling, others trying to heal themselves frantically as we broke through the trees, orange flames washing over the pale faces of my vampire family.

They were all twisted up in beautiful pain, Rosalie Hale sobbing gorgeously into Emmett's thick chest. Bella Cullen stared up at her beautiful house as it smoldered, more than half of it already burned down. It was strange to see a vampire cry, venom dripping from their eyes as if it were tears…

Esme's face was twisted up in pain, her life's work gone, shattered, crumbling at her very touch as she walked slowly around the living room, a picture frame of the entire family dissolving at her fingers. Carlisle stared upon his foundation, unable to keep his eyes on it for long and opting instead for the ground, Edward seething beside him. The entire field was covered in black soot, the trees surrounding their once-home now dark as night, left for dead.

"It isn't your fault." He murmured, reading my thoughts. I shook my head, glancing at him.

"Yes it is," I choked out in dark humor, barely laughing. "All of it is."

"You know who the Child is." Paul said softly, moving slowly to my side, his eyes glued to the ruined home. I nodded slowly, everyone's voices coming to a hush as they listened for the truth.

"The original werewolf came from France," I seethed gently, my tone barely loud enough for them to hear. "So did his descendants."

"You said slave. As in the moon?" Michael asked quietly. I nodded again. "Moon slave." He murmured to himself.

"How does a word tell you who it is?"

"It isn't a word," I scoffed darkly. "It's a name. One that everybody knows here." The angry sarcasm was thick with my tone, everyone staring at me.

"What is it?"

"Esclave."

An even heavier hush fell over our crowd, my eyes sticking a broken shard of vase as it tumbled lightly down the steps.

"We already knew Elissa was a Child," Seth murmured. "So what? It means it's in her blood."

"It doesn't just mean it's in her blood, Seth," I whispered, shaking my head gently. "It means it's in _their _blood. Elissa Esclave wasn't just born with the strain,"

**Everyone had their eyes glued to me as I whispered the final verdict, the wind whistling with vengeance, hatred boiling in everyone's blood at the end of the sentence. "She was infected early on. By her brother."**


	22. What's Mine Is Yours

My eyes snapped wide open, a thin layer of sweat beginning to coat my skin, my heart racing furiously. Embry shifted behind me, his own eyes fluttering as he woke.

"Kitty?" he groaned hoarsely, pulling me closer to him and leaning over my shoulder to take a look at my face. I rolled to my back, shifting onto my other side so that I could face him, my face buried in his neck. "You alright? What happened?"

"Bad dream." I murmured, soaking in his heat. Embry pressed his lips against my forehead, nudging me to look up at him.

"Nobody's gonna hurt you. I can promise it. I'll protect you with everything."

"I know you can..." I whispered confidently, looking up to meet his eyes. He smiled at me gently, the expression making my heart flutter. "But it wasn't me."

"Wasn't you?"

"It was one of the boys."

"What happened kiddo?"

"I don't remember, we were just...we were up on the rocks and I heard somebody screaming...I couldn't tell who but it was in the Pack. It was one of my brothers, I swear, and he needed me and I couldn't get to him and I just-"

"Shhh, baby. You're alright, so is everyone else. You're anxious."

"Is anybody home?" I sighed, nestling against him.

"Nope, just us kiddo. I have everyone running patrols all the way from here to the Canadian border."

"Canada? You're ridiculous."

"What time is it?"

"Three o clock in the morning." I pouted. Embry moaned, the sound immediately sending my body into a frenzy. The burning started again, my thighs shifting on their own accord.

"Arbor Uley." Embry murmured, clicking his tongue at me quietly while raising his eyebrows. My cheeks flamed red.

"Shut up."

"I make you nervous."

"You make me annoyed."

"You're cute when you're mad."

"You're not even cute when you're happy."

"Ouchhhh!" he whisper-yelled. I winked at him, shifting in his arms. "Whatever. I knew you were too good for me anyway."

"As if, Embry Call."

"I mean it. You're beautiful."

I was quiet for a moment, watching him in wonder as he studied my face with complete adoration, almost lost in himself with thought.

"What are you staring at?" I whispered softly. Embry kept his eyes on mine, his thumb coming up to brush at my cheek.

"An angel."

"I have more than enough mirrors, want to borrow one?"

"You're a joke, Kitty. You're flawless."

"I don't understand."

"Understand what?"

"How you can insist I'm so pretty when you're…I mean when you're _you. _I've never seen a more perfect man in my entire life."

"I don't think you're pretty. I think you're gorgeous."

I watched him again for a few moments, bewildered by his flawless features.

"Prove it," I challenged, barely audible. "Show me."

Embry's eyes flashed, a few seconds passing before he pulled my face to his, our lips connecting deliciously. I moaned softly immediately, the noise sending him into his usual haze. One of his hands found my backside, pulling me over him so that I straddled his torso, our tongue's fighting for dominance.

"Kitty," Embry hissed warningly against my lips, gripping my waist firmly. "Kitty we have to-"

"I don't wanna stop." I murmured, my tongue sliding along his bottom lip.

"Kitty we can't-"

"Don't tell me no." I whispered seductively in his ear, nipping at his neck while pressing my hips against his. Embry growled lowly, the shirt I was wearing splitting all the way up the back, his hands clawing frantically at the fabric before he grabbed my face in his hands, kissing me harder.

I pulled away from him, working at the clasps of my bra as he held onto my waist, staring at me wide-eyed. The fabric dropped against the bed, Embry's mouth falling wide open.

"Oh…my God…Ki.…oh my god…" he breathed, trying to keep his eyes on mine, the dark orbs drifting down my chest every few seconds. My heart started racing, my mind flying with things he could be thinking right now. "You're perfect."

I bit my lip, grabbing hold of the fingers on his right hand as it rested on my waist, dragging them up my torso to the bottom of my breast. Embry clenched his jaw and tore his eyes away, not moving his hand as a growl rumbled in his throat.

"Look at me," I breathed pleadingly, Embry peeking at me from the corners of his eyes. "Please?"

Embry flickered his eyes up to mine, his heart picking up worse than mine was.

"I shouldn't be allowed to touch you." He whispered, his eyes smoldering mine.

"Feel this?" I asked, pulling his hand up further to the right side of my chest. Embry wavered under the feel of my soft skin, his fingertips grazing across my chest tauntingly. "It's my heart."

"It's your body." Embry shot darkly.

"Both of them belong to you anyway," I countered, Embry's eyes flashing for a moment. "A present."

"One I'm not worth of receiving."

"One I'm giving to you because no one else makes them feel more beautiful."

"I make you feel beautiful?"

I nodded, Embry sitting up lightly so that I was straddling his lap, not taking his fingers off my chest although I'd moved my own hand long ago. "When do I make you feel beautiful?"

"When you touch me," I whispered, nuzzling my cheek against his, my breath washing over his ear. "And kiss me," I brushed my lips along his jaw, satisfied growls rumbling in his throat. "And lick me…" My bare chest brushed against Embry's, and he went crazy. His mouth attacked my neck, his tongue gliding all the way down my collar bone to the center of my chest where he planted kiss all across my breast, the sensation causing my burning for him to escalate to an all new high. His tongue flickered to my nipple, and I dug my fingers into his shoulder, moaning so loudly I was surprised the wolves couldn't hear me even though they were miles away.

Embry flipped us over, my hair sprawling out along the pillow wildly, his tongue slipping itself down my torso where he tugged at the edge of my underwear with his teeth, looking me dead in the eye as he dragged them down my legs. Embry immediately took his mouth to my core, my entire body squirming underneath the swirl of his tongue as he worked at me.

I wanted more. I wanted more than more, I wanted _him. _I snatched his jaw, tearing it away from my center as I brought my lips to his. The button of his jeans would've taken too long to undo even with my superhuman speed, so I simply ripped it off, his Levi cut-offs starting to slip down his muscular hips, my senses going into a frenzy. I kicked his shorts off with my feet, his center grinding against mine, Embry's growling getting louder and louder by the second.

"Arbor I don't want you doing anything you don-"

I ignored him, flipping us over so that I was on top again, pulling him up so that we were in our usual sitting position. I kept myself higher than usual, careful not to grind against him as my lips worked frantically at his, but it didn't help his little "situation". I could feel him growing firmer underneath me, our chests now pressed together, his fingers tangled in my mass of black hair.

"Kitty I'm serious I don't want you to-Oh sweet Jesus."

I cut him off mid-sentence, lowering myself onto him before he could protest. The groan that escaped his lips was more than I could handle, the burning now exploding in my center as his met mine. Embry pushed upwards, the feeling of him inside me sending a gasp through my lips, Embry meeting them immediately. I was nearly whimpering as he pushed and pushed, a steady rhythm starting between us as he moved up and down, his hands gripping tight at my waist.

Embry flipped us again, my entire body going numb with pleasure at the new position, my baby careful not to break his rhythm. I arched my back, Embry's abs grazing my own on occasion, an unintentional reminder of how beautifully sculpted he was.

It was like a wildflower in the middle of my chest, cooling and heating throughout my body like icy hot. Embry's lips kept at mine passionately, his tongue moving at a different pace that his hips were, and it was overwhelming to think of him being in two places at once. My voice came out in soft whimpers, Embry's lips teasing at mine gently, nipping lightly here and there as he slowed his pace, drawing out the climb to my climax.

We were going slow now, sweet, like he wanted to savor every second of it. There was a new sort of pleasure now, one that wasn't physical, but felt just as potent. It was mental, a loving, a passion and a burning in my _heart _instead of my thighs that was exploding for him, smoldering every physical pleasure I was experiencing. Embry pulled his face away for a moment, studying mine while he worked.

My eyes flickered up to his nervously, unable to slow my breathing down or contain myself while he was still inside me. My face flushed worse than before, an insecurity falling over me as he watched.

"You're beautiful." He whispered, his breathing heavy and thick. I looked up at him in complete and utter adoration, unable to piece words together as his dark eyes smoldered mine. My voice came out like a broken, shattered whisper, barely audible to even his highly trained ears.

"Em…Embry…"

"I love you." he murmured, picking up the pace again. I gasped, frantically pulling his lips to mine in response, unable to utter the words into the air with the amount of pleasure searing through me. Embry tore us off the bed, hitching my legs around his waist without stopping as I tangled my fingers in his hair.

He set me down on the vanity, knocking various perfume bottles and makeup pieces clattering to the floor. My toes were curling, more moans escaping my mouth as he pressed me against the mirror, the cold glass becoming a new sensation in my beautiful mix.

*Embry POV*

I couldn't quit looking at her. She was flawless. Beyond flawless. Fuck, at this point, flawless wasn't a good enough word. She was just so warm and perfect and so _mine, _and the look on her face when I'd told her I loved her was just….God, it was a miracle I was even operating sensibly.

Arbor leaned her head back against the mirror, arching her body towards mine as I moved inside her, her fingers gripping the end of the vanity. She was tightening around me the longer we went, the feel of her warmth overwhelming, her scent filling the room and only driving me harder. I was in love with what I was doing to her, the fact that she could barely even make out a full whimper without her voice being broken from the movement was ridiculously sexy.

"Em!" she moaned, her voice shrill.

Sweet Jesus, we'd need an ambulance by the time this was over.

"Say it again," I pleaded quietly, my voice raspy and broken. I started moving faster, her moans coming quicker by the second. "Say it again, please."

She pulled one hand away from my hair and grabbed my face lightly, locking her eyes with mine.

"Embry."

I went insane. Her voice was silky, sweet, her green eyes flashing with pleasure as I started moving even quicker, the furniture barely able to stand our friction now. Arbor threw her head back, her copper skin glistening with a thin layer of sweat, her chest moving rapidly with her breathing. Her pink lips parted again as I started moving forcefully, thrusting harder than I had all night, her voice continuing to break as she started climbing higher and higher, her black hair tumbling down every curve of her torso.

We came at the same time, Arbor throwing her arms around my shoulders and hugging herself to me tightly, ever muscle in her body tensing as the air rushed from her longs, her lips brushing the crook of my neck as I gripped her waist, the vanity cracking beneath us. We sat there for a moment as I buried my face in her shoulder, planting kisses all over her collar bone.

My hair clung to my forehead desperately, Arbor and I sweating profusely now thanks to our combined heat. I exhaled deeply, hitching her up around my waist again before carrying her to the bed where I laid her on her back, looking at her in awe.

She was beautiful. Her mass of shiny black hair was strewn all across the bedspread, her vibrant green eyes locked sleepily on the ceiling as she batted her thick lashed. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, a few strands of hair matted to her face. She was mine.

"I love you." I murmured again, crawling on top of her and laying my face against her stomach. Arbor smiled lightly, the entire room lighting up along with it as her fingers found the side of my hair and started stroking.

"I love you more." She whispered. I shook my head tiredly, running a thumb over her hipbone.

"Impossible."

"You know your lack of faith in me is somewhat insulting." She teased, closing her eyes.

"As if, punk. I've got more faith in you than you have in yourself."

"Thank you for that."

I was struck by the sincerity of her tone, shifting her closer to me, wanting desperately to own her soul.

"I love you." I whispered again, closing my eyes.

"I love you more."


	23. The Dream Is Real

Waking up next to him was heaven. Bliss. I fluttered my eyes open softly as an odd scent came across my nose, the silver clouds flashing against his smooth copper jaw. I shifted, slight pain shooting up in between my thighs as I did so, but not enough that I couldn't shrug off. Last night was worth it. I smiled lightly to myself just thinking about it as I slipped out of his arms, pulling on some shorts and a red plaid button up shirt over a white tank top. I pulled a brush through my hair, smirking at the cracked vanity as I did so.

Boy, was Momma gonna be pissed if she found out.

I closed the door almost silently behind me, tiptoeing down the steps so quietly that everyone was surprised as I entered the kitchen.

"You're up kinda early." Mom murmured, sipping her coffee happily. I nodded, wrinkling my nose as I plucked a biscuit off the stove.

"Something smells funny."

"Smells funny?"

"Sorry about that." Alice shot apologetically, waltzing into the house as if she owned the place. Nearly all of the Cullen's were with her, each of them looking equally distressed."

"Whoa, whoa, what the Hell is going on?" Dad demanded, knitting his eyebrows together as he came down the steps. The Cullen's all filed past me nervously, some of them twitching with agitation, my blood hissing slightly as their scent filled my nose. I shifted uncomfortably, shoving the biscuit in my mouth.

"Something's wrong," Alice panted frantically, looking like a little girl who'd just woken from a nightmare. "Something's really wrong."

"What are you talking about?" Collin grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he shoved past Emmett, heading for the fridge.

"Who's on patrol?" she demanded, staring at him wide-eyed.

"Uhm, patrol?"

"Michael, Brady, Adam and Sam."

"Maybe they can get him before he gets close enough."

"Close enough for what?" I asked, my eyes flickering between all of them now.

"Vladimir's here."

"Not again," Seth hissed, rolling his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Are you surprised?" I shot. "This kid keeps coming out of nowhere."

"What do you mean he's HERE?" Collin demanded.

"Obviously not HERE, HERE, dimwit." Rosalie growled. I shot her a dirty look.

"We have about half an hour."

"Half an hour?" I cried, Embry shooting me a confused look at he breezed into the kitchen, scratching his head.

"What's in half an hour?" he asked, pulling the milk from the fridge.

"Vladimir." Collin shot. Embry dropped the milk immediately, his eyes flickering between all of us as he yanked me towards his chest roughly, his arms forming a fort around my torso.

"When?"

"We have half an hour."

"Twenty-seven minutes." Alice corrected. Mom looked at her horrified.

"So what do we do? What's gonna happen?" Collin asked.

"I can't tell, I can't see you all. As soon as you get into the woods everything goes blank."

"She can only see people's decisions."

"So what, you've got no idea how the Hell we're gonna fend him off this time?" Collin argued.

"If we can." Seth muttered darkly.

"Of course we can." Dad shot.

Alice's face went blank again, Jasper nudging her frantically and asking what she'd seen. She stayed quiet for a moment, her face remaining blank although her mouth began to move.

"They've brought so many, they've brought at least 50 this time Edward."

"50?"

"We can take them, can't we?" Seth asked, fear slipping under his tone.

"Of course we can." I shot.

"Yes, all of us together can, not those four out in the woods alone."

"How do you even know they're around the same area?" I asked, glaring at Alice.

"I don't that's the problem, I've no idea where they are and I've no idea if they can make it out alive."

"Alive?"

"That's it, I'm going." I shot, grabbing for a coat.

"You aren't going anywhere without me." Embry countered, Edward wincing as last night's memory flashed through both our minds. Dad growled, moving into the back yard.

"I'll see if I can get them home before the wave comes in."

He exploded the second he stepped outside, his jet black form becoming slightly matted in the gentle rain. I closed my eyes, the boys' voices filling my mind immediately. The sound of the forest was washing over my ears, their words incomprehensible.

_They're alright, _he assured, poking his large black head through the kitchen window. _They're out on the cliffs, they'll be back in minute._

"Cliffs?" I breathed, my eyes flickering to Embry. "The cliffs…"

I wrenched myself away from Embry immediately, shoving Seth and Collin out of the way as I headed for the door. Several voices shouted after me, but I didn't have enough time to respond. Hell, I didn't have enough time to breathe.

My feet were pounding against the squishy mud in seconds, my arms pumping as quickly as they could. The air was thick and heavy, the humidity outragous although the temperature was dropping quickly. The trees were flicking me hard in the face and body, the paws of the rest of the Pack thudding quickly against the ground behind me.

_YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN! _Embry shouted. I ignored him, only kicking my feet harder.

_Arbor he's right, it could easily be a trap._

_Too late now._ Collin hissed, his eyes flickering to his left.

Pale figures were darting in between the trees behind us, crimson eyes locking onto our bodies as we ran. Leah snarled ferociously, several of the leeches flanking her at once.

_STAY AND HELP THE OTHERS!_ I ordered, running harder.

_Kitty you can't go alo-_ Seth was cut off as a leech lunged for him, screeching. He whirled on her, catching it in his jaws and rolling. By the time he'd tore it a part, more were arriving, and I was long gone.

My feet couldn't push me quickly enough, my heart was racing out of my chest almost, begging me to set it free as pictures of Seth or Adam laying face first on the ground flashed across my mind. I'd been right last night, I'd been 100% right, the dream was real, and one of them was going to die.

Sam crashed into my side, a pale, twitching arm flying out of his mouth and halfway across the forest as we tumbled on the ground, a blonde woman flying through the trees, screeching at him only seconds later. I scrambled to my feet, ducking in between her legs and catching her left thigh, sending her sprawling forward as Sam latched onto her neck with his teeth and jerked furiously, her head snapping off with a crunch.

"Sam!" I cried, throwing my arms around him. "Where's-"

Adam and Brady were next, hunting down a man and a tiny brunette girl, both of them taunting my friends sickeningly. Adam pounced, Sam rushing to catch the girl's torso while I slid in front of the man, his entire body crashing against the dirt floor before he rolled over, catching my rib and tossing me into the air. I collided with the bark of a thick tree, my claws digging in tightly in an attempt to keep me from falling to the ground. I curled my entire torso around the trunk, my hair slipping across my shoulders and dangling to the ground as Sam, Adam, Michael and Brady all fought with the leeches in their paths.

I winced, a large spear-like branch sinking itself into the tree inches away from my side, bark and dirt raining down all around me. I slid down the tree a few feet, barely able to catch myself as I clung to a limb, my feet swinging downwards so that I was finally in a vertical position again. My toes clawed at the bark, trying desperately to get myself further up, but there was no point. Another spear hit the space between my hands, the collision sending me falling backwards through the air, my body hitting the forest floor with a large thud.

I groaned, scrambling to my feet immediately and running for my attacker. The blonde boy smirked at me, winking coyly as I lunged for him. He jumped out of the way, my fingers barely grazing him as he moved. The boy smiled at me, swinging an arm underneath mine and flipping me over, my body facing a completely different direction as he shoved a boot into my spine, flinging me forwards. My face hit the dirt, my mind hazy, still unable to comprehend that we were in battle and I needed to fight. _What the Hell is wrong with me?_

Sam flew over my body, knocking the boy to the ground. Between him and Brady, the boy was finished in seconds.

_Are you alright?_ Michael asked, nudging me to my feet. I stood on shaky legs, my mind racing as I tried to comprehend my own body.

"I don't know what's wrong with me I can'-"

Sam roared loudly, our heads snapping in one general direction as another set of leeches grinned at us with blood soaked teeth, their pale skin flawlessly matching the silver sky above us. Collin snarled, coiling to spring when the two leeches whirled silently, disappearing within the trees instead of attacking. Adam barked, charging after them, bounding over the hill.

"NO, NO, NO, DON'T!" I screamed, watching my brother head for the cliffs. The rest of us sprang after him, the forest floor tearing apart at our feet. "ADAM IT'S A TRICK! ADAM STOP!"

My brother didn't hear me, and if he did, he didn't care. He kept running, more viciously than before as the leeches flew further and further towards the sea. A loud cry echoed through the air, all of us pushing harder as my blood started searing for me to move.

"ADAM STOP!"

We exploded through the trees, several crimson eyes snapping up to our faces. Adam was laying on his side, his dark blue-black fur matted with blood as three of them pulled their bloody mouths away from his back, the rest too hungry to stop.


	24. Cross My Heart

**VERY important that you listen to the song at the end of the chapter...VERY.**

**(When Adam stops laughing with Arbor) John Murphy-Frank's Death -keep it on repeat until the chapter is over from that point-**

* * *

><p>So it was Adam. Adam was the one that died in my dream. My body finally decided to kick into gear. I snarled loudly, my vision turning red as I lunged for the leech attached to Adam's neck, Brady, Collin, Sam and Michael all choosing one of their own.<p>

I tore the little red-headed bitch away from my brother, the both of us colliding against the boulders heavily, the rock splitting beneath the force. She kicked at me in the stomach, sending me skidding across the rocks and off the cliff. I grabbed a hold of the edge instantly, swinging my legs over as if it'd never happened, lunging for her again. This time I went upwards, grabbing hold of her shoulders and cartwheeling myself over her head, digging my knee into the back of her spine. The girl dropped to her knees, grabbing hold of my left ankle with both hands and ripping me towards the ground.

My head slammed against the rock as I pulled my foot up, catching her around the neck and forcing her to the ground right next to me. She hissed as I swung over and mounted her, grabbing a hold over her face with my hands. The girl screeched and dug her nails into my knuckles, pain shooting up my right arm from the staircase wound that wasn't completely healed yet from the fire. Her neck began to crackle, her porcelain skin starting to chip away at her collarbone and throat as she roared at me angrily. I tore her head clean off, jumping to my feet and drop-kicking her head straight into the water, using my foot as leverage to get rid of the rest of her limbs and throw them into a steady growing pile by the edge of the cliff.

Brady screeched behind me, his front paw shattering underneath a tall, beefy dark-haired man's foot. I ran at him, leaping off the ground and shoving my feet against his temple, grabbing hold of the foot that was on Brady's paw as he sprawled across the rocks. I stomped one foot onto the man's face and the other on his rib, cracking half of his torso as I jerked his leg towards me, snapping it clean off and whirling, using it to crack him across the face.

His cheek shattered, huge chunks of porcelain flying into the air as Seth tumbled by with a blonde girl, clawing at her torso. The man screamed, digging his nails into my leg and throwing me clean into the air, hopping on top of me and raising his hand in the air to take my head clean off.

Michael tackled him, the man's screaming choking out immediately as his head flew in my direction. I scrambled to my feet again, throwing the man's leg in the pile as I ran towards Adam, who was being circled once again.

_Don't let him die. Don't let him die. _I'd silently thanked God for the dream, praised him a million times for sending me the sign that Adam might've died today so we could get here in time. I did an aerial over the circle, landing with my feet spread, one on each side of Adam's slowly healing torso. I winced as one of his ribs snapped themselves into place, his wounds beginning to seal shut as blood restored itself to his veins.

I hissed, challenging any of them to make the wrong move as I guarded my brother heavily, my eyes flickering back and forth from leech to leech. A blonde girl was the first to move.

People make jokes about them for a reason.

I let her come to me, ducking under her arm and catching the upper part with my fingers curled tightly around her marble skin, using the other hand to grip her neck, pulling it in the opposite direction. Her head and body separated, my foot kicking into her side to send her smashing into several of her friends as I swung around, using her head like some sort of javelin as it connected with a boy's chest, both crashing into the trees ten meters behind us.

Collin snarled, catching a woman by the torso as she lunged for me. I brought my open hand across her face, her head smacking into the rocks as Collin started in on her, Adam starting to rise to his feet underneath me. Michael flew past us, several men fleeing from him.

"You alright, kid?" I yelled, my eyes still flickering around for a threat. Sam was doing more than handling himself well, he was starting his own pile of limbs, all of them amounting to one that was higher than even mine. He wolf-grinned at me, winking as he dashed off to help Seth.

_This venom shit stings._ Adam growled, furious now and out for vengeance. I smirked, elbowing my brother lightly.

"Did I tell you I have a new gift?" I asked, swinging under the arm of a leech and whirling around, separating the head from the body as Adam tripped up another, stomping on its face with his paw, the pieces crumbling against the ground.

_And what's that?_

"I can see things!" I cheered, shoving my fist through a man's mouth, my fingers coming out clean through the back of his throat. As I ripped my hand free, I swung it underneath the leg of a woman as she tried to flee from Seth, and he pounced on her, bounding off through the trees as another passed him by with Brady close behind, slightly limping on his paw.

_God, as if you can get anymore weird._ He laughed, Sam pulling on a pair of Levi's as he pulled a lighter out of his back pocket. Adam growled at a woman as her eyes flickered to me, hissing. He bounded to her, pawing her in the chest and tumbling across her body, locking her head in his jaws and throwing it clear across the forest.

_On my left, take her down! _Adam cheered. I zoned in on another as she tried to take him by surprise, sweeping under her feet and grabbing onto her torso as I did an aerial over her, tossing her body to Adam who effortlessly caught it in his jaws.

"BOOYAH!" I cried, a loud punching noise erupting behind me. I ignored it, laughing at my brother as he tore the vampires apart.

Adam wolf-laughed loudly, turning to face me when his jaw hit the ground, his happiness halting immediately. He quit laughing. My eyes went wide as I followed his gaze, my heart sinking into the bottom of my feet. I stood frozen in my place, my breath hitching as Vladimir's wings lowered themselves behind his back, his cocky smirk appearing over his shoulder as he pulled his arm out of Sam's chest, his fingers covered in blood.

Sam stared at me wide-eyed, his breathing unsteady as he kept his hands around Vladimir's right arm, the one that kept him rooted to his spot. The deadly leech brought a finger lightly to his mouth, flicking his tongue at Sam's blood while he closed his eyes.

"Your friends will be the first to die, Hybrid," he murmured quietly, his crimson eyes locking on mine almost sympathetically. "In the end, I will always come for you. In the end, you will lose."

Adam snarled and lunged for him, Vladimir's wings snapping open as he released my brother and took off into the trees, Adam disappearing as he followed angrily, Seth, Brady and Collin's footsteps soon following his in fury.

Sam and I stood there for a moment, my mouth agape in utter terror as I watched him stagger backwards, his fingers moving towards the bloody space in his chest, red liquid trailing all down his abdomen. I didn't move. I couldn't speak. My heart had stopped. I had the wrong brother. I'd made the wrong assumption. Sam was going to die.

"NO!" I screamed, watching him slip off the edge of the cliff. I hurled myself after him, grabbing hold of his shoulder and pulling myself towards him, the wind washing wildly over us as my hair flew like wildfire around our bodies. Sam clung to me tightly, our heads smacking against the water before anything else.

It was like falling into a pit of ice, the noise of the thunder muffled underneath the surface as we floated absentmindedly, the both of us stranded in the universe of liquid with no explanation for anything. Sam's blood started seeping through the blue water, tainting it, staining it a deep, heavy red as I kicked up furiously, my brother limp in my arms.

We broke the surface after a few minutes, Sam's 212 pound frame dragging down my own like 6 tons of bricks. I was sobbing furiously through clenched teeth as my toes finally hit sand, locking my arms underneath Sam's armpits and pulling him as hard as I could.

"Come on, come on," I begged, pulling him into the sand as he winced silently. "Stay with me, stay with me Sam." We dropped to the very edge of the shore, blood and water still washing around our knees as I knelt down beside him, pulling his head into my lap.

"Sam look at me," I begged. "Come on, look at me."

Sam's dark eyes fluttered, locking with mine nonetheless.

"Hey kid." He murmured hoarsely, blood rushing down his chest now.

"So sorry….so sorry Sam I…." my words didn't even make sense, I was surprised they were even audible as I held my brother in my arms, rocking him back and forth slowly. "You're gonna be fine, you'll be just fine okay? You'll be just…"

"I'm not gonna make this one Kitty. I'm not."

"Don't say that!" I yelled furiously, tears streaming down my face. "Sam come on we just have to get you home, you can heal, remember? You can heal just fine and then-"

"No, Sweetheart… Not this time."

"Sam this….Sam this is all my fault if I'd just paid attention to both of you instead of one of you then you would be fine, you wouldn't be hurt you'd-"

"Listen to me," Sam said firmly, his voice as loud as possible. "This is _not _your fault. Hear me? Not at all. Don't ever say it again, Kitty. Never."

"Please don't leave me." I cried quietly, my eyes squeezing shut as I sniffled furiously, tears cascading down my face. The waves crashed against us gently, Sam's diluted blood trailing across my arms and legs as the water took it away.

"Look at me."

I obeyed, a few tears escaping out of Sam's somewhat fearful eyes. "You have to kill him," he whispered, his voice starting to fade as my heart sped up in terror. "You have to end it. For all of them."

"Sam don't leave me!" I sobbed, starting to rock, clinging to him. "Sam don't leave me alone I can't do it by myself!"

"I'll never leave your side."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." He whispered, holding up his pinky. I took it with my own silently, watching as he made a small X across his chest, allowing me to do the same next.

I shook my head furiously, sniffing wildly as Sam's hand went limp, his pinky curling tightly around mine as our hands fell against his bloody chest, the thunder rumbling loudly overhead.

"No, no, no, no," I shouted, my voice growing louder and louder as he smirked at me silently, his dark lashes lowering as his eyes closed shut for the last time. "No, no, SAM! SAM!" I screeched, my voice hoarse and broken. "SAMMMM! SAM NO!"

I screamed furiously, my sobbing loud and shattered, the waves calmly crashing down around us as if everything was peachy keen when in fact it wasn't. I was dying on the inside, a piece of my heart snapping off and withering in my own chest as my brother laid limp in my arms, his heat vanishing quickly. I sobbed louder and louder, his temperature lowering to that of a human. I was losing him, and fast. "NO! SOMEBODY HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I screamed, pulling his face into my chest with one arm and keeping hold of his pinky with mine. "SOMEBODY HELP!"

The wolves emerged from the forest one by one, slowly, silently, every animal in the trees fearful of making a move. Dad, Adam, Brady, Collin, Quil, Jared, Paul, Michael, Leah, Jacob…..they watched, 200 meters away as I sobbed furiously, the wind whipping my hair wildly across my face while the waves nudged us forward, Sam's chest still bleeding furiously into the water.

"Somebody…some…somebody…help…" I choked, falling to my side. Sam's pinky kept itself locked around mine as I pressed my forehead against his as he lay on his side as well, the wet sand casting our bodies. I closed my eyes, praying silently he'd come back, reminding him that he promised he wouldn't leave, that he wouldn't desert me.

"I'll get him," I cried quietly, bringing our pinkies to my lips. I curled myself against him, the world around me dissolving with each passing second. "I'll get him for you. For everybody. Cross my heart."


	25. Fixing Humpty Dumpty

**Sorry I haven't updated lately, guys! I'm sort of stuck in a rut. When I don't really know what to do with a story, I need to take a few days and think over the plot line, put myself in Arbor's position and decide where it'll go. Here's a little 'sorry' for leaving ya'll hanging so long :[ It's more of a filler, but it's important healing for those of you that feel like Arbor does right now.**

**Coldplay-Don't Panic**

**Damien Rice-9 Crimes**

**Coldplay-Viva La Vida**

* * *

><p>I took it the hardest. That much was obvious. Time could pass all it wanted. It still felt like my body was splitting in two without him. The entire town had heard within an hour, showing up at our door with gifts, food, funeral locations. You name it, the fantastic fucking people of La Push would deliver. No one knew how to keep their mouths shut, either. The second Mom closed the door and waved goodbye, our visitors would walk off the porch and back to their cars, murmurs of pity floating around in the air. I was starting to wish I was normal, or at least deaf. Even Mom and Dad shared concerns between each other as if I couldn't hear them, as if I couldn't make out the fact that they were worried I'd fly into a suicidal rage. Sometimes it felt like I would.<p>

School wasn't going to cancel itself for me every day. I knew that much. So I went, keeping my eyes on the floor, shuffling like a zombie aimlessly to class, staring off into space during every painful second of every excruciating lesson. I didn't want to learn anything new. It wasn't fair. How was I supposed to get older and wiser, if it one day meant that I'd pass up Sam? How was I supposed to graduate knowing he never did?

I was a mute. I was air. That's all it did, right? It didn't have any greater purpose, wasn't making any effort to appear or disappear-it just was. Just there and silent, able to slip by any and everybody who wasn't paying hard enough attention.

Unless you were Embry Call. He was hot on my trail 24/7, never letting me out of his sight. In the beginning, I was surprised I hadn't scared him off. It'd taken him, Paul, Jared, Dad, Adam AND Jacob to drag me away from Sam, all of them wrestling with me in the sand for hours until I was tired enough to submit to all of them. When they'd finally passed me to Embry, I kicked into high gear, screaming and scratching and writhing and refusing to be carried anywhere because anywhere meant away from my brother, and I couldn't watch it. You know how as you walk away from something, you can see it growing smaller and smaller until it doesn't even exist anymore? Sam was dead. Motionless. His soul had floated up, up, and away, and the only thing that kept him tethered to this Earth was his body, which slowly and painfully became non-existing in my vision as Embry hauled me away from him.

When I'd finally gotten taken home, Embry waltzed right past my parents, knowing full well they were the last ones I wanted to see. There was so much he picked up on, too many things he noticed about me without my ever having to explain them. I sat on the bathroom counter, staring blankly at his collar bone while Embry sponged me down from head to toe, wiping away every drop of Sam's blood away from me. It was official. My brother was gone.

Embry brushed my hair gently, wrapping it into a bun like he'd seen me do a hundred times and putting it on top of my head and carrying me to bed.

I didn't move out of that damn spot for days. Almost a week, even. I didn't eat, any time I ever fell asleep I woke half an hour later from a horrid nightmare, and speaking was out of the question, even on the days Mom or Dad needed it most. I was being selfish. I deserved to be. I was the one who had to watch him. The one who had to hold him while he died. I was the last face he saw, where was the justice in that? Why was it me that he had to tolerate, instead of being rocked gently to death by Mom? Why couldn't he have gotten to hear HER soothing voice instead of mine?

Even when I'd finally decided to go to school, spending hours in my thoughts, I could find no justice in my brother's death. So I ignored it. Slowly, I spoke. But only to him. Sam was the only one I directed my voice towards, regardless of whether or not the others could hear me. I talked to him every night, every day, sometimes even in public because I knew it was a placed he'd like to go.

"This isn't what I wanted." He murmured quietly, his forehead pressed against mine as we lay in bed one night. I frowned slightly, my eyes resting on our intertwined pinkies.

"You act like I'm enjoying this." I retorted quietly.

"So that's it, then?" he asked, my eyes flickering to his. "You give up?"

"Of course I don't give up, you-"

"Then what do you call this? This moping around, not speaking."

"I call this mourning. I'm SAD, Sam. How could you expect me to feel happy when you're gone?"

"No, kiddo," Sam laughed quietly, closing his eyes for a moment and shaking his head. "I don't expect you to be happy. I don't expect you to be sad either."

"What do you expect then, oh Mighty One?"

"I expect you to quit being such a tool," Sam scolded, nudging me with his forehead lightly. "There's somebody who needs you more than even I did."

"Like who?" I challenged. Sam lifted his head up, staring over my shoulder at Embry, who slept quietly on the couch by my dresser. I bit the inside of my cheek, a chill shooting down my spine. "He doesn't deserve this." I whispered quietly.

"He deserves _you_, Kitty."

"He can't make me happy like you did."

"You're wrong," Sam cut again, somewhat glaring now. "Arbor there's nobody else on this Earth that could treat you better than Embry could. You're everything to him."

"I'm scared…"

"Of what, Love?"

"I know Embry can make me happy."

"Then why do you pretend not to?"

"Because if I get happy again…y-….you'll disappear and…."

"Shhh," Sam murmured, tears streaming down my cheeks as he brushed his lips against my forehead. "Shh, Kitty. I promised you I'd never leave, didn't I? When have I ever broken a promise?"

"Never."

"Exactly. Remember the one you made for me?"

"Mhmm." I whimpered.

"How can you expect to keep it if you stay like this? Come here," he said softly, wrapping his arms around me. "The girl I know is so much stronger than this. Brighter. Smarter. Worth more. Where is she at? Don't let me pull you down, kiddo. Don't let me do this to you."

"How am I suppo-"

"You already have the answers, Kitty. You don't need me to give them to you."

"I need you."

"You're wrong."

I looked up at him, his dark eyes soft and apologetic as his figure started shimmering slightly, more tears streaming down my face as I buried my face in his vaporizing chest.

"You ready to let me go?" He asked softly, slowly fading into nothing. I nodded, squeezing my eyes shut once before shuffling away from him, watching him as he vanished before my eyes, as if the wind had seeped through the window and washed him away.

Things started to get better after that night, believe it or not.

Embry was the first one I spoke to. I pulled a hoodie over my head, watching him as his eyes fluttered open lightly.

"Morning." I murmured softly. His eyes snapped to mine, a small smile peeking out on his lips.

"Morning." He whispered.

It was easier after that. Talking, I mean. It came more naturally. It was quiet, but it was still there. The people at school quit looking at me after I made it clear that I didn't want their pity, just their friendship. Adam and Melissa were never a part, and her worries about him being next were obvious, but it was easier to stand next to her, to allow her to mourn my brother even though he wasn't hers. I'd understood. Even if she wasn't part of the family YET, she loved Sam because Adam did, and his death had hit her just as hard as it hit Adam.

Embry took me everywhere. The beach, the cliffs, hiking, cave-exploring. We went canoeing, we chased deer through the trees for fun, we played hide-n-seek for hours in the forest with the rest of the Pack. One night, we all lay sprawled out in our large backyard underneath the stairs, murmuring secrets to each other and having heart-to-hearts until we'd all fallen asleep. We had study sessions. We had shopping trips. Anywhere I wanted to go, we went. Embry was better to me than I deserved, I knew that for a fact, but even so I couldn't stay away from him. I was being selfish, hateful. At some points, I didn't care if he'd had to put up with my screeching when he dragged me to the house two weeks ago, because of how good he made me felt _now._ It was unreal, as if he was his own sun, and I got front row seats to bask in the warmth of it all. He was mine, and I took full advantage of it.

I was smiling again, laughing completely guilt-free, because when I laughed, Sam was laughing too. I'd figured that essentially, since I'd claimed Sam more than anyone else had ever dared to, he really was mine. We shared the same blood, some of the same features, Hell, even some of the same personality traits, and I was going to use that to my full advantage. I'd let him keep living through me, my entire life would become dedicated to:

1.)Making sure I kept my promise to him.

And...

2.) Making sure I'd try to keep myself happy at all costs, because that's what he'd want.

It was like I was breathing again, like not only had I accepted that Sam was dead, but _allowed _him to stay that way peacefully, without giving him a million reasons to feel guilty about it in Heaven.

As time passed, I'd learned really quickly that there was more than sadness smoldering through my veins during the mourning. It was more dangerous, stronger, like a silent predator that was ready snap at every given moment-and when I'd realized it was there, I was suddenly grateful for Vladimir and Eli, excited even that they existed, because it gave me a new way to focus, gave me a new outlet for the emotion. It was hate. It was strong, and ferocious, and stronger than almost anything I'd ever felt. It was the need for revenge, the desperation to seek out my brother's killer and end him slowly, the way he deserved. I smirked one morning at the breakfast bar, Embry shooting me a confused look as I did so.

"What's up?" he asked, eying me. I shook my head gently, looking up at him with a mischievous grin.

"Nothing…nothing really."

"Come, on, let me know."

"You aren't gonna like it."

"Why not?" he asked, sliding a peach in my direction.

"Because it isn't like me. It's disgusting."

"Nothing on your mind could be disgusting."

"Even slaughtering an entire army of leeches, plus a few extra?"

"Kitty," Embry said warily, his face sober. "You aren't getting anywhere near those things."

"Yes I am," I stated flatly, shrugging him off and leaning back in my chair. "I'm gonna find them, Em. I promised Sam and I'm gonna keep the promise."

"Kitty I-"

"I'm gonna need help, you know." I murmured, staring at him innocently, pressing on my hold over him. Embry wavered under my look.

"It's dangerous."

"Obviously," I shot icily, regret washing over Embry's face. "Sorry, sorry. That was sort of harsh…I just…it's what has to be done. We both know it so we might as well take this bull by the horns before they get to somebody else."

"You really wanna do this." Embry stated quietly, staring at me. I nodded, chewing on the inside of my bottom lip for a moment while he stared at me.

"Alright," he beamed, leaning back and crossing his arms. "Tell me what you need. It's game time."


	26. Allies

I was dead silent in the janitor's closet, not moving an inch or making a sound as students hustled past me, my presence undetectable. I could smell him before he even got around the corner. It made my stomach turn, hate boiling in the pit of my stomach as I thought about Sam laying dead in the sand. _One….Two…_

"Morning." I hissed with mock cheer, whirling out from my hiding spot and grabbing the collar of the boy's shirt, slamming him against the lockers so hard they dented.

"What th-Kitty?"

"Miss me?" I challenged, Eli looking beyond fearful. Not good enough. I wanted him terrified.

"What the Hell are you-"

"Don't you dare," I growled, shoving him deeper into the metal, my face inches away from his. I could smell his anxiety. "I'm going to say this ONCE. ONE time, Eli, and if you're stupid enough to ignore the message, you'll die alongside the rest of your friends, clear?"

Eli nodded, wide-eyed.

"Good. I need your help." I shoved off of him, taking a few steps back so he could readjust himself.

"Anything you want." He breezed quickly, staring at me.

"You're going to switch sides."

"Switch sides? What are you-"

"Don't!" I yelled again, shoving him once more. "I know exactly what you are."

Eli's face went pale white, his jaw clenching as he balled his hands into fists.

"What am I then?"

"You mean besides a murderer?"

"I've never killed anybody-"

"Sam?" I challenged, whirling on him. Again, Eli fell silent, his pathetic state only making me more and more sick to my stomach. My chest fell slightly at the sound of his name in the air. Eli ran a hand through his hair, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I didn't kill your brother, Kitty."

"I know. I saw who did. I watched."

"You didn't," Eli shot, his eyes wide and fearful. I nodded, backing away slightly and leaning against the lockers across from him exhaustedly. "I-..Kitty, you have….God dammit!" He yelled, whirling and shoving his fist all the way through the locker, the skin splitting slightly at his wrist.

I squeezed my eyes shut immediately, pulling my shirt off from underneath my hoodie and ripping off a small sliver, grabbing him and wrapping it around the wound. Eli watched me silently, shaking his head in disgust with himself.

"You should kill me." He whispered.

"Probably," I agreed softly, stunned at my own response. "But I need you."

"Whatever you want, you can have it."

"See I'm not so sure about that," I stated, dropping his arm and putting my hands on my hips. Eli gave me a confused look. "There's a lot of questions I have that you need to answer as clearly and honestly as possible alright?"

"Of course."

"What is this?" I asked, turning my back to him and pulling down my hood, revealing the splash of freckles splayed out on the back of my neck. Eli fell into a dream like haze, brushing his fingers over the patch, and as he did I shuddered involuntarily, heat shooting down my spine before I jerked myself away, eying him warily.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" He asked blankly, staring up at him.

"What the Hell did you do to me?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Really? Because this mark thing wasn't here two months ago, alright? Everything started when you decided to go ape-shit."

"Everything started when you shifted, Kitty."

"I didn't SHIFT, I HAD A NUCLEAR MELTDOWN."

"Which is why you went from Bombshell to Bombshell200."

"This isn't funny."

"Who said I was kidding?"

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Me?" I seethed, staring him down. Eli started avoiding my eyes, his face flushing bright red as he played with his fingers.

"Nothing you want to hear about."

"There's a lot of shit no one wants to hear. It doesn't make it unnecessary."

"It's called Branding," He caved, sliding down the lockers and pulling his knees up to his chest. I stared down at him, guilt washing over me as I slowly sat across from him, folding my legs Indian style. "I'd take it back if I could, Kitty. I swear I would."

"What'd you do?" I whispered.

"I chose you," he laughed lightly, shaking his head. "Without even thinking twice about it, I decided you were mine."

"What the Hell are you-"

"For someone so smart? You're really, really stupid." Eli scoffed, holding his own hand in between his knees. I shook my head slowly, avoiding his eyes.

"Now's not the time to get romantic." I growled.

"This is so far beyond romance!" Eli laughed manically, shaking his head. "You think I don't understand what your werewolf feels for you? I have it worse. Beyond worse, Kitty, you can't even imagin-"

"Embry Call loves me more than anybody else on this planet."

"Which is what you think, isn't it?"

"Quit speaking about things. You've got no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't I? You think I spend any less time thinking about you than Embry does?"

"How can you say that?" I fired, crawling to my knees and pushing at him. "How the Hell could you say that after all the times you've helped that…that LEECH attack us?"

"I'D NEVER HURT YOU WILLINGLY!" He defended. "HAS IT EVER CROSSED YOUR MIND THAT I'VE NEVER HARMED YOU EVEN IN THAT FORM?"

"What do you mean even in that form?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

Eli's eyes flickered to the southern hall as a teacher's footsteps began to fill it. He grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet and pushing me out the door silently, the sun washing over my skin as we walked out into the open air. I jerked away from him the second we were outside, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared at him.

"We don't change like your little friends do." Eli growled, putting emphasis on the word _friends. _

"You never remember anything." I murmured, remembering Edward's little speech. Eli shook his head.

"No, not really. Only if we focus hard enough, and I _am, _Kitty I've been trying so har-"

"Why do you work with him?" I asked, all hate gone from my tone. I sounded pathetic, I sounded weak. Eli winced as if I'd slapped him.

"Sit down," he ordered, taking a seat at one of the marble benches. I allowed him to grab my hand and pull me down next him, my eyes locked on his face. "I wasn't the only one who followed you into the woods that night," he started, rubbing his thumb up and down over mine. "The vampire was there, too. Lucky for me it was my first full moon. He'd asked what I was doing there, like I expected."

"And you told him?"

"Course I told him. I thought he was sent there to help me or something. You've got no idea, Kitty, it was the most painful thing that'd ever happened to me."

"What's it feel like?"

"Like was being hit by a bus over and over again. Everything kept breaking and re-breaking and snapping out of place and it was-"

"Exactly what I felt that night too…" I murmured, Eli pulling his gaze up to mine.

"Our bodies needed to re-structure themselves. Like your shape-shifter friends, our human bodies would've snapped underneath all the physical demands of being what we are."

"We?" I asked, somewhat horrified.

"Don't worry, if you were a Child I would've smelled it on you. No one really knows what you are to be honest, the vampire just calls you Hybrid."

"Oh." I murmured, an awkward rush of relief coming over me.

"Anyway, he could smell the both of us. The bond, I mean. There was no lying to hi-"

"Bond?"

"Jeez, kid. Do you ever let anybody finish a sentence?"

I laughed quietly at his words, stunned by how much he sounded like Embry. Eli laughed lightly too, running his free hand through his hair and keeping the other wrapped around my own. I wondered why I hadn't pulled away.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"Don't be. I should be apologizing for what I'd gotten you into," he sighed. "I made your situation ten times worse, if anything."

"How?"

"Branding is…it's like a life commitment. Like a claim. A decision to keep whoever for life."

"And I have no say in it?" I asked, starting to get angry.

"You already did have a say in it," he laughed, looking at me again. "I'm surprised you haven't caught on yet, kid. How in the Hell do you think we became such good friends within the span of one week?"

"I thought we jus-"

"Just what? Had a lot of great things in common? Not at all, Kitty. Besides, it's not always voluntary."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was changing…you were the only one I was thinking about. The only one. All I kept hearing was your screaming and your smile and the way you threw your head back when you laughed and…your lips…"

"Stop." I ordered immediately, my eyes flickering up to his. Eli tore his gaze away immediately, grabbing on tighter to my fingers when I tried to pull them away.

"You said you wanted answers. I'm giving them. All our attention is focused onto that one person, and in that instant we claim them. It's an accident, a mistake of nature, but we can't help it. We do it anyway because in that time of horror the only thing that could possibly make us feel better is them."

I closed my eyes and sighed, leaning my forehead against his neck.

"I'm sorry," I murmured quietly, Eli resting his head on top of mine. What the Hell was I doing? "It's my fault you even got dragged into this."

"As if," he scoffed lightly, laughing. "You're the only reason I haven't bothered to slit my own throat yet." I frowned at his words.

"Don't say that."

"I might as well, the leech is probably gonna do it when he's through with you."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, lifting my head again to stare at him.

"You know exactly what he wants, Kitty." Eli murmured staring at me.

"Then what do you have to do with it?"

"We made a deal in the beginning. The night I changed. He told me if I helped him track you down, he'd be able to keep you safe. Said he could reverse all of your changes and that you'd never have to be bothered with any of it again."

"And you agreed."

"Of course I agreed. I don't want anything more than to get you away from those things."

"Those things are my family."

"Those things are dangerous."

"Sam was one of them." I shot icily, staring at him. Eli squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, turning to face me in his seat.

"I shouldn't have said that," he murmured quietly. "And I would take every single second of it back if it meant we could have him again. I'd kill to switch sides, I would."

"Why don't you then?" I whined quietly, staring up at him. Eli bit the inside of his lip, sighing.

"Because now he's got new leverage."

"What do you-…..Elissa."

Eli nodded, sniffing slightly as his cheeks turned red. His dark brown eyes flickered to mine in a moment of desperation.

"He'll kill her if I make the wrong move, not that it matters much anyway. She loves him. Adores the damn leech like he's a God or something."

"She's made her choice, Eli. You can still make yours."

"And what if he hurts her?"

"If he wanted to, he would've done it by now. He knows he needs her, I've seen the way it took nearly four of us to even incapacitate you. Children are almost twice as strong as vampires and werewolves combined. She's useful to him."

"And to me, Kitty. That's my sister."

"You're not the only one who's losing a sibling here, Eli."

It was silent again. I'd brought up the prohibited once again, an icy chill shooting down my spine as I did so. "Eli I'm….I shouldn't have…"

"You deserve to hate me," he shrugged lightly, staring down at my hands. "As long as it means you won't go anywhere."

"I need you on my side," I whispered. "I need your help."

"Kitty I told you I don't know how to-"

"That doesn't necessarily mean as a Child."

Eli looked up at me again, his eyes smoldering.

"I miss my best friend." I whispered.

Eli pressed his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. It was like I'd been missing something, like some irreplaceable piece of my world had been set back into place when he was around. The heaviness of my heart from losing Sam lightened slightly at the realization that I still had Eli, that his dark brown eyes looked exactly like my brother's, that I wasn't alone outside of the wolf world after all. That I still had a living, breathing friend.

"What do you need me to do?" Eli whispered, looking up at me. I sighed in relief, closing my other hand around the both of ours instinctively.

"You have to tell me what he's planning. He's been coming out of nowhere, we barely get a chance to recover before he shows up again."

"That was the idea," Eli laughed darkly. "He was hoping that if he was random enough with his attacks, he'd be able to put you guys in such a frenzy that you wouldn't be able to think straight. Even your mind-reader was having trouble with him, and I'm almost positive the only reason he's keeping us around lately is because your fortune teller can't see around Children."

"Where is he?"

Eli snapped his eyes up to mine.

"Why?"

"I need to know."

"So you can do what?"

"So I can hunt the son of a bitch down, Eli. I need to know where he's going next."

"You're not doing this by yourself."

"That's the only right way for it to be done."

"You're wrong."

"You can either tell me so that I'm 100% sure, or you can let me wander around aimlessly in an attempt to find him. Your choice."

Eli sighed at my stubborn behavior, pulling his forehead away from mine and running his hand through his hair again.

"I'll tell you on one condition."

"Fine."

"This is a TEAM effort alright?"

"What do you-"

"It means that you don't do anything on your own."

"Already made that freaking promise…" I muttered darkly, thinking of Embry. Eli's eyes flashed slightly, his eyebrows knitting together in annoyance.

"And another thing."

"Yes, Master?" I asked sarcastically.

"Embry stays out of it, okay? This is for me and you. Our thing. Ours."

"I can't just tell someone they aren't allowed to fight for their family."

"Fine. Then do me another favor."

"What could you possibly want?"

"You."

I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious or not.

"Eli…I can't-"

"I miss my best friend too, Kitty."

I watched him, the pleading tone of his voice too out of character to be a lie. So that was it then. We were best friends, ones that had an unnatural and inappropriate likeness for each other. Did it mean that I liked him around just as much as I did Embry? No. That was easy to answer. No one was able to occupy my mind more than Embry did, unless you counted Sam. But a life without Eli? I didn't want to think about it, didn't even want to imagine what it would've been like if I hadn't whooped his ass on the track that day back when my life was somewhat normal. It wasn't hard to tell that the way Eli felt about me was different than the way I felt about him, but who was I to tell him not to dream? Telling him no now could possibly mean that I'd never find Vladimir, that I'd never slaughter him the way he deserved. Sighing lightly, I tried to find the old Arbor Uley, the one that all the kids at my other high school bowed down to without second guessing themselves. The one that used people to her full advantage.

"Fine," I murmured, squeezing my eyes shut. I gripped my hand around his own slightly tighter than usual. I flickered my eyes back up to his, my chest thumping rapidly. "Tell me where he is."


	27. Sorry I'm Not Sorry

Growls and hisses flew across the room as I entered the house with Eli closely following behind me, every eye in the room locking on his body viciously.

"How dare you." Collin spat, lurching forward. Seth grabbed a hold of him, Embry trying next before I threw my arms out in front of Eli.

"What the Hell are you thinking?" Dad demanded, shaking furiously. I stood my ground, trying to figure out who was going to phase first.

"Probably not your best idea." Eli whispered into my ear. I elbowed him, shooting him a look over my shoulder.

"I need you all to listen to me before you flip a shit."

"Language." Mom murmured. I gave her an apologetic smile.

"I mean it, I need you all to calm down."

"CALM DOWN? HE KILLED SAM!" Collin screamed.

"I WAS THERE WHEN SAM WAS MURDERED AND I CAN PROMISE YOU IT WASN'T ELI." I shot icily, glaring furiously at the boy in Seth's arms. Collin winced under my tone, still hateful as he struggled in his friend's hold. The room got dead silent as I dropped my arms slowly, still standing in front of Eli.

"I owe everybody an apology," I murmured hoarsely, moving my gaze between all of them slowly. "I haven't been decent to any of you in the past few weeks…and I have no excuse for it."

"Arbor you watched your brother-"

"Stop," I shot, cutting Michael off. "That's no excuse to treat you all like you didn't lose him too."

Collin relaxed in Seth's hold, guilt washing over his expression as everyone took a seat in the living room silently.

"We can't pretend that Sam wasn't murdered," I said quietly. "At his funeral, I got more 'I'm so sorry's than I knew what to do with. It made me sick to my stomach. Cliff diving accident? That's disgusting. A horrid way to pretend he didn't die fighting for something better. But I know what to do now."

"You aren't going after Vladimir by yourself." Embry shot darkly, my eyes flickering to his position in the corner of the room. There were hints of bitterness in his tone, as if I'd offended him by even bringing Eli into the room. Mom and Dad's eyes flickered to mine horrifically, each of them dropping their jaws.

Words of angry protest flew across the room, Eli patting my arm lightly as I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Thank you, for that." I hissed at Embry, furious he'd blown my cover.

"You can't-"

"SWEAR TO GOD KITTY IF YOU-"

"Who do you even think you are? You can't just-"

"-Most powerful leech we've ever dealt with and you-"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled, cutting everyone off. The room fell silent once again. My breathing was already heavy, adrenaline pushing through me as I realized there was a possibility I'd have to fight one of my family just to get to the battle field. "Someone has to kill him."

"And it won't be you."

"Yes it will!" I countered, turning on my father. He shot out of his seat immediately.

"YOU WON'T."

"I PROMISED SAM." I yelled, matching his glare. Fury flashed across Dad's features as he backed away from me slowly.

"You'll kill us all." He hissed through clenched teeth. I looked away from him, my heart dropping at the words immediately.

"Sam!" Mom cried as she stood, her features etched with horror. Dad took one look at her, guilt breaking his expression as he did. He began opening his mouth but I cut him off, pretending that no one could notice the tears starting to prick at my eyes.

"Eli can help us track him down. He knows everything; locations, attack plans, everything. If we listen to him, he can help us."

"Kitty, I-"

"Quiet, Dad. Listen to him." I choked, leaning against the wall with my arms folded behind my lower back. Dad sat down silently, not taking his eyes off me for a few moments until Mom took her place next to him.

Eli rambled on aimlessly, spilling every single secret he knew as I ran over my father's words in my head. Of course he didn't mean it. He couldn't have. Never in my life had my father said something so vile, especially at such a sensitive time. I couldn't blame him. It was, after all, my fault that Sam had died the way he did. I should've been paying better attention, should've thought out the entire situation before making assumptions. I cried silently against the wall, my eyes locked on Eli's face as he told us everything.

"We have until tomorrow," Eli murmured. "His next attack was supposed to be in the middle of the week. He was going to start with Embry next, but after his Mom left town, he didn't have much leverage."

"You mean it could happen between now and tomorrow?" Collin demanded, Adam standing out of his seat. Eli nodded, Adam shaking his head in disbeleif.

"So who was the target after that?"

"Second in command. Adam." Eli said quietly.

"I swear to God if he touches Melissa-"

"Which is why we need to move quickly."

"When?"

"Tomorrow night. That's the latest we have if we're to keep her safe."

"Fine. I say we find the son of a bitch as soon as possible." Adam shot. For the first time in my life, I agreed with my brother.

"He planned on sweeping in from Canada. He's been switching back and forth between borders in an attempt to throw off his scent."

"How many does he have?"

"More than you can imagine. When he's not begging my sister to make more Children, he's having her drag in human after human to be changed."

"This is bad." Michael cried into his hands.

"Worse. There's no way in Hell we can stop an army that large."

"Yes there is." Alice shot, something flickering in her eyes. She looked to Edward, who nodded at her. In an instant, she was out the door, Jasper at her side.

"Where the Hell are they-"

"When Renesmee was attacked by Vladimir's mate, we called in the only ones who we knew could help."

"The other Covens."

"From all over the world. Many were willing to help."

"Are you sure it'll be the same this time around?" Seth asked quietly, Edward giving him a confused look. "It's in our blood to hate each other, Edward. Just because Ness was so perfect that everyone fell in love with her doesn't mean they'll be willing to keep an entire family of werewolves safe."

"They will when they see how ready Arbor is to protect them all." Edward murmured confidently, everyone flickering their eyes to me. Eli rambled some more.

I told Sam I couldn't do this without him. I'd begged him to stay, fully admitted that he was the leader in all of this and that I was born physically and mentally to follow him, that leading was never an option for me. I'd leave it to Embry, then. I'd give him the reins, that is if he ever spoke to me again. They could plan everything, decide where to go and when, and then when the time came, I'd fuck up everything. I'd ruin it all, going completely off -course to find the murderous bastard that had the nerve to taste Sam before he dropped him off the edge like a ragdoll. There was a high chance that everyone would die at that point. That even I, in my fit of rage and selfishness, would be slaughtered after I'd killed the leader of our rivals.

It was fine by me.

Edward grimaced slightly next to me, my thoughts ringing clear throughout his mind. I wasn't sorry. Maybe that he had to hear them, but not that they were true. I was disgusting. Maybe just as bad as Vladimir when I realized I was willing to get people killed for my own personal vengeance. Edward nudged me again, giving me the 'What the Hell is wrong with you' look. I couldn't take it.

I shoved off the wall, halting Eli mid-rant and taking his spot in the center of the room.

"I have to tell you guys something," I choked out quietly, Edward's eyes widening with everyone else's. I looked down at Mom regrettably, her expression breaking whatever was left of my heart. "There's a really high chance that all of us are going to die."

"Don't say that-"

"You said it yourself ten minutes ago," I countered my father, biting the inside of my cheek. "And he was more than right. I know it's your job. I know it's your birth right but I call it bullshit. Nobody has to sacrifice their lives for anybody, alright? It isn't fair."

"Life isn't fair."

"Say something else," I challenged, shooting my Dad a look. "Because this goes for you too. I don't want anyone here that doesn't want to be here, in fact, if it were up to me, all of you would be at home."

"We're here because we love you, Kitty." Seth murmured quietly.

"I just need you all to be ready. I need you all to walk out there knowing that it might be the last time you take a breath."

"What has gotten into you?" Mom whispered, staring at me wide-eyed.

I bit my lip, planting a kiss on her forehead before stepping back in line with Eli.

"No one expected Sam to die, and we should've. We can't keep ignoring how great the risk is."

"She's right." Eli murmured.

"Stay out of this," Embry shot immediately. "If it weren't for you he might be alive."

"Don't you dare-" Eli growled, stepping forward. Embry answered the challenge immediately, shaking furiously by the time he'd pushed off the wall.

"STOP IT, STOP IT!" I screamed, throwing myself in between them. Embry quit shaking but kept his deadly glare over my shoulder, focused on Eli.

"He killed your brother." Embry murmured in disbelief, staring at me like I had three heads. I shot him a look.

"For the last time, I SAW who killed Sam. And it wasn't him."

"It might as well have been." Embry growled.

"Maybe you shouldn't fight with us then, if it matters that much to you." I shot. Embry winced slightly as if I'd hit him, growling again before shoving past me and flying up the steps.

"Follow him," Adam murmured, staring at me pleadingly. "Please, Kitty. Follow him. He's been an absolute trainwreck ever since Sam...die-"

"Fine," I shot. "Adam, you're in charge. Sleep in shifts. We have to be ready at any given moment."

"Kitty, Sam is dea-"

"I WILL GO," I assured him, shooting him a look that softened immediately. "I'll go. Just don't say the word."

Adam nodded slowly, everyone moving into a huddle to discuss what to do. Eli shot me a look, grabbing my hand as I moved to leave.

"Let me go, Eli." I murmured quietly, eying him. He furrowed his eyebrows together, shaking his head lightly.

"I can't."

"You will." I ordered. He wavered under my tone, my voice mimicking Embry's Alpha ring perfectly. I tugged away again, my fingers slipping out of Eli's lightly as I did.

_Now's not the time for guilt._ I reminded myself silently as I trudged up the stairs, Embry's scent washing over my senses. _Use him. Just like you've used people before, use him. He's your friend, yes, but nothing more. You can tell him, Arbor. You can tell him you're nothing more, but not yet. Wait until the battle's over. Wait until we're all safe. Do it for…_

"Embry?" I asked quietly, pressing my forehead against his bedroom door. There was a muffled groan from inside, and I immediately took it as a sign to come in.

"I told you to go away." He grumbled, laying face first on his enormous bed.

"You really want me to leave?"

"No."

"Okay then." I shot, laying down next to him, staring at the ceiling. Embry popped one beautiful brown eye open to look at me, still silent. I turned my head to him. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to you."

I knitted my eyebrows together immediately, turning on my side to look at him.

"Why the Hell would you think that?"

"I don't think that, I know it."

"Stop it," I pleaded quietly, snuggling into his chest as he rolled over to his back. Embry wrapped an arm around the middle of my torso, pulling me as closely as he could. "I could never regret you."

"You deserve so much more than what I've given you, Kitty. Don't you get that? If it weren't for me, you'd have been able to leave. I'm the only thing tying you to this stupid place."

"You're the only thing that doesn't make it stupid," I corrected immediately, trailing my fingers in small circles on his chest. "You're the only reason I WANT to be here."

"I see the way he looks at you." Embry murmured quietly, looking up at the ceiling. I pulled my head up slightly, still staring at his face.

"The way he looks at me is nothing compared to the way you do."

"I'd understand," Em cut in quickly, his grip tightening slightly in protest on my waist. "If you wanted to be with him, I mean. If he made you happy, if he kept you safe…"

"You'd let me go?" I asked, somewhat fearfully.

"If…it was what you wanted."

"Then I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For ever leaving room in your mind for doubt. Whatever made you feel like there was any possibility of me leaving you…I'm sorry for it."

Embry pulled me over his torso so that I straddled him, our chests pressed tightly together as I stared down at him, his hands gentle against my waist.

"Promise?"

"Cross my hea-….promise." I mumbled, heat flooding my cheeks at the near betrayal of my brother. Embry knitted his eyebrows together painfully, an apologetic expression washing over his face.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered hoarsely. "Arbor I swear, anything you ever want I'll give it to you. Anything that will make it feel better. Please, I'll give you anything. Whatever you want."

"I want Sam," I murmured honestly, my voice cracking as a tear rolled down Embry's cheek. "I want my brother…he….I want…"

"I know, Baby. I know." He whispered as I buried my face in his neck, my tears soaking his collar bone. He stroked my hair gently, cooing to me.

"Embry…"

"Yes, Love."

"I keep having nightmares…seeing things…I keep imagining it was you…that you were….that I…"

"No, Baby never. Please, look at me. Look at me Kitty," he ordered, tilting my chin up lightly. "I'll stay with you until the second the fighting is over if it's what you want. I swear."

"I can't lose you," I cried honestly, sobbing now. "I'll kill myself, I swear Embry I'll kill myself I'll end it right there and I-"

"Don't say it!" Embry yelled, sitting up with me still straddling his waist. He looked furious and heartbroken, all at the same time. "Arbor Uley you'll never hurt yourself, never. Not over me, not over someone else in the family, never."

"I don't have a choice if I have to live without you!"

"Then you won't!" He promised immediately, grabbing my face in his hands. "I'll do everything I can, Kitty. I swear to God I will. Promise me you won't end it because of me. Swear to it! Make me the promise!"

"I PROMISE!" I screamed loudly, bawling as he pressed his forehead to mine.

"I'm going to fight until I can't anymore. I swear. I'll do it until I can't breathe, I swear. Just promise if it happens-"

"It can't!"

"IF IT DOES. Swear you won't end yourself. You're stronger than that, Kitty. Stronger."

I looked at him, my face twisted up in a sob and a plea all at once, my heart shaking violently at the thought of losing him too.

"I love you more than anything in the entire world," He whispered between kissing my lips gently. "More than anything."

I fell into him immediately, my arms wrapping themselves around his neck possessively, my mouth desperate against his as our breathing picked up quickly.

This was my life. This was where I belonged. A half-wolf hybrid with her mate, irrevocably and irreversibly in love. I needed him, more than I needed air, more than I _wanted _air, and there was no denying it. I was a fraud. A liar. A sham. Who was I to think that I didn't care who died in order to avenge Sam? Half of those willing to fight next to me felt ALMOST as strongly about someone as I felt about Embry, and if that was the case, it'd kill them to watch their significant other die. If I'd lost Embry too, if I was the reason he was removed from this Earth, what did a promise mean anymore, even if it was to a brother I loved more than I loved myself?

There was no balancing it out, even if I wanted to. How did I decide between a promise to a lost sibling and the love of my life?


	28. Wake Up Call

I shifted against Embry's warm naked body, my own bathed in white sheets as if I were in some sort of fairytale. He murmured something insensible before rolling to his side, throwing an arm over my waist. I kissed his chest lightly, trailing my lips all the way up to his collar bone before he finally fluttered open his eyelids.

"Morning sunshine." He murmured, smiling at me. I beamed at him, pecking him lightly on the lips before snuggling against his skin again.

"Sleep well?"

"Better than I deserved," He smiled, winking at me. I blushed, pulling the sheets further over my chest to conceal myself. "Wouldn't trade last night for the world."

"Oh stop. It's not like we haven't done it before."

"I mean yeah, we have, but last night you were….well jeez, Kitty I don't know how else to put it. You were an animal."

I groaned, laughing lightly in embarrassment as I hid my face from him, Embry chuckling lightly in amusement.

"Nothing to be ashamed of, Love. I mean I had a good time."

"I could tell." I smirked, raising a cocky eyebrow at him. Embry rolled his eyes at me, shifting so that he was hovering over my body with his.

"You're cute when you have an attitude."

"Now where have I heard something similar before…." I wondered teasingly. Embry smiled, brushing his lips against mine softly. I followed his lead, opening my mouth for him, giving him free reign as his tongue slid along my bottom lip.

"We have patrols to do." He reminded me gently, smiling when I pouted at him.

"Nooooooo." I whined, cupping his face with my hands. Embry frowned.

"That's not fair. You know I can't resist that face."

"So don't!" I beamed, bringing his mouth to my own again. Embry groaned, our mouths working together for a few more moments before he pulled away again.

"I'd stay with you forever if I could, Kitty. You know I would. BUTTTTTT," he added as I opened my mouth to protest again. "I can't. I can promise you that after all of this is finished, you won't be getting much more sleep for a while."

Heat shot up my spine at the very idea of spending weeks lying in bed with Embry, and quite frankly I couldn't think of any better way to spend my time after finishing off an army of vampires.

"Fine," I pouted, sliding out of the sheets. I moved to the dresser, pulling on a pair of black spandex shorts and a thin, black, zip-up hoodie.

"You look like you're about to rob a bank."

"You don't even wanna get me started on what you look li-"

There was no more noise. Just ringing. Ringing and light.

I don't know what happened. An explosion? A shoot-out? No. Both of those were less painful than this. A lot less loud. I'm on the floor. I'm staring at the ceiling. Embry is screaming at me and then the floor falls through, and I'm watching in slow-motion as his face gets further and further away from me, my entire body paralyzed. I can't move. I can't scream. I'm being set on fire, no worse, I'm being ripped a part, every nerve split in half like it had back in the forest on that dreadful night that I learned what was in my blood. There's a person inside me. A parasite. It's zooming through my veins, shoving them open, stretching them so far it feels like they're about to rip into shreds.

I can see Seth. Seth goes flying overhead, his mass of sandy fur brushing against my chest as he crashes into the wall next to me. I want to help him. I want to move, but again, I can't. I'm burning alive, being charred on the floor while my family screams and runs and phases and fights for their lives against an enemy out of my sight. I don't know what to do. I'm not sure what to say. And then I look down, and I'm covered in blood. It's not my blood, and I'm not sure why it's all over me, but my heart sinks immediately because it's owner's scent washes over me like ten thousand bricks, making me wish I was deader than dead, making me wish I was never born. It's Adam's.


	29. Left Behind

My ears are ringing. I can't even see straight, but I'm pushing myself up onto my hands and knees because I have to. There's no way. No way that I'm about to lose a second brother, especially not before keeping my promise to the first. I'm staggering. My knees are screaming at me to quit being an idiot and sit down but I can't. My heart is telling me to keep going, and that's the only thing I'm listening to right now.

I whipped all around the room, looking for Adam but I couldn't find him. Something shoves against me, heavy, dark paws; teeth are being bared inches away from my face, saliva dripping onto my neck. I'm too hazy to pick up on whose scent it is, whose growl is rumbling in my ears right now. I'm too weak to fight back again, and as I lay on the pile of debris in my dining room, a gigantic beast pinning me down, I start to think of all the reasons for why I deserve to die. The Pack's voices are blending into one fearful, loud mixture as more blood splatters across my chest this time, a heavy paw shoving down on my chest so hard that my breastbone cracks, my heart thudding violently before continuing at a dangerously low pace. I'm dying. I deserve to. I let Sam go. I let my family go through Hell for someone who can't even protect them because she's too weak. The heavy paws are removed, and there's silence. Nets are being thrown everywhere, whimpering filling my ears as I try to figure out who's died first.

I pray it isn't Embry. My entire body burns at the idea of living without him. Must be a good thing I'm dying then. There's more yelping from my Pack, some violent hissing and then Eli's voice is ringing through the walls, clear and human. It's gone soon. I'm empty. I'm alone.

The house is deathly silent. I can't move. Not even for a second. I feel heavy. For the second time in my life, I wish I wasn't part werewolf. Sadly, sickeningly, I can feel my bones starting to snap themselves back into place. How much time has passed? How many lives were just ended? One second I was living in bliss, waking up next to a God, and now I'm here, laying in a pile of rubble like some pathetic leech.

I winced as my breastbone popped upwards, the pressure on my heart instantly released. The muscle started thudding rapidly again, springing back to life as it pumped hungrily, my body desperate for blood and oxygen. A gasp flies past my lips, and I realize it's the first sound I've made since my fall from the second floor.

Am I here now, or was that later? Has anything changed? I'm rambling in my head through two different tenses, the time undetectable. I rolled over to my side, coughing lightly, dust and debris flying outwards all around me for a moment as my entire body coils and recoils, my muscles breathing lightly. I took a look around the room, my eyebrows knitted together as the scene unraveled in front of me.

Almost everything was destroyed. Mom's glass cabinet, the dining room table. A mass of blonde tangled hair laid underneath what was left of our table, a thin copper arm sticking out from underneath the wood. I shuddered. The Austrian-Crystal chandelier was in ruins on the wood floor, the windows all busted through. Broken windowpanes and drywall littered the floor, half of the boards torn up on the ground anyways.

"Mom?" I yelled, looking around. There was no answer. No nothing. "MOM?" I tried again, pulling myself out from underneath a few ceiling tiles. I stood to my feet, my breath catching as I caught my reflection in a thick sheet of broken glass. I was covered in dark blood, the sticky substance slightly matting my hair, scrawling across my chest and torso. Then I remembered whose it was.

I ran around what was left of my demolished house, checking any room that was left for signs of my brother. There was no trace of anything. Every scent was gone. Every sound was gone, every God damn print was gone. I had no trail. I had no family.

The overwhelming sense of isolation washed over me as I realized I had no one left. It meant that Embry was gone. Dad was gone. Adam was gone. I had no Pack. No family. What was I going to tell Melissa? Would she even want to look at me again? For letting my brother, the love of her life, fall prey to a man who'd only wanted ME all along? I'd never seen an Imprint lose their soul mate, and the very idea of it sent a chill down my spine. It'd be torture. Hell. The very THOUGHT of living without Embry set every nerve in my body on fire, each muscle shaking slightly at the idea. Who knows what it'd be like if he was really gone.

It can't be true. I would've felt something. Would've heard him, would've winced at the instant snap that would've thrust itself against every fiber of my being as the rubber band that kept us together was snipped in half. No. He was still alive. He had to be.

My head snapped up at the sound of rustling boards in the living room. My body tensed immediately, my senses tingling although they were still matted with a thick, sleepy haze that I couldn't put my finger on. There was more clattering as I rounded the corner, stalking as if I were out on the hunt.

There was a black hole developing in my chest, hatred boiling in the pit of my stomach as I readied myself to unleash nothing short of Hell on whoever was stupid enough to linger behind after that wave of leeches had washed over my house and taken my family. I crouched to the ground, my eyes flaring as the top of a debris pile shifted slightly, something doing its best to get out.

A large, copper hand shoved its way through the debris, my instincts shutting off immediately. I bolted towards the pile, ripping away large chunks of rock and ceiling tile. Collin's torso pushed its way to the top of the debris, his fist shoving our flatscreen away from his shoulder as he shook dust out of his hair. Immediately I threw my arms around him, his hot hands clinging tightly to my back as I did so.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" I screamed, happy to see one of my members still breathing. Collin nodded, kissing the side of my hair as he held me.

"God, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry Kitty."

"What the Hell happened?" I demanded frantically, pulling away from him to remove more of the debris.

"I don't even remember half of it," He groaned, running a free hand through his messy hair before shoving away more debris. He crawled out of the pile as I tossed him a pair of salvaged shorts, sliding down against the wall once he was dressed. "There were only three of us awake at the time. Me, Michael and Brady. Your Mom had gone to Sue's, and we were trying to find something to eat without burning the house down and then….boom."

"Boom?" I asked, sitting next to him slowly.

"Boom. They hit us like a wrecking ball," he pulled his knees up to his chest and hung his head. "There was a knock at the door and Brady went to go open it. Next thing we know, he's flying through the kitchen door, half his jaw dislocated." I winced at the idea of that, my eyes flickering towards one of our shattered living room windows. The sky was shining silver, reflecting off Collin's copper skin.

"You didn't smell them?"

"No, and that's the worst fucking part. We didn't even hear them coming."

"Why not?"

"They used a human," he swallowed thickly, looking at me darkly. "Some college girl from the village."

My eyes flickered back to the dining room, eying the mass of blonde hair that I'd spotted earlier. Ice trickled through my body.

"Everybody's gone." I murmured horrified, glancing around the ruined house once more. Collin shook his head.

"I don't think so."

"What do you mean?" I asked giving him a confused look. He rested his chin on his arms.

"If they'd wanted to kill everyone, they would've just done it here. There'd be blood everywhe-" he stopped short, eying my shirt.

"It's not mine." I murmured, my throat closing slightly. Collin leaned in, sniffing lightly before leaning back again, nodding like he understood. I shot him an angry look, which he responded to with a confused one.

"What?"

"Don't you know whose this is?"

"Yeah? So?" he demanded, knitting his eyebrows together. Realization dawned on his face seconds later. "No, no, no, Kitty, you don't understand," he explained, shaking his head furiously. "Like I said, if Adam was dead, he'd be here, not missing."

"So what's this all about?"

"Whoever it was that came for us, one of the Children came with them."

"Eli?"

"The girl."

"Bitch…" I muttered bitterly, Collin nodding in agreement.

"She looked like she was going for your room, so when Embry took her out Adam threw his blood all over you and snapped that little breastbone of yours."

"Why the Hell would he-…."

Collin smirked as I realized what had happened. Adam wasn't attacking me, he was saving my life. The abnormally slow heartbeat, the mass of blood. Any leech would've seen me and assumed I was dead or dying, far beyond saving. They'd wanted me to stay behind when they were taken.

"We have to go after them." I stated quietly, sitting Indian style.

"Are you insane? There is no 'we'." Collin shot.

"There's always been a 'we', Collin, that's the reason I was left behind! So they had someone to come back for them!"

"I'm going, you're staying."

"Not a chance. I'm coming with you."

"You were left behind for a chance to get away!"

"Get away to where?" I demanded, shooting to my feet. Collin stood, wincing as he stretched his shoulder.

"You gotta leave, kid," he sighed, looking me dead in the eye. "That was the plan all along."

"What?"

"Nothing…forget it alright?" Collin grabbed my shoulder with one hand and cupped my face with the other. "Listen to me. The only reason we've done what we've done is so you have a chance to get out. Leave the country. Leave the continent. Get on the next experimental spaceship to Mars. Just please, leave."

"Would you leave if it was me out there?" I challenged quietly, matching his gaze. Collin sighed and shook his head slowly. "Exactly."

"Arbor you're insane. I have no plan, I have no back up and I have no way to fight off an army of leeches on my own. You're insane to follow me."

"You're insane to think I'd stay behind." I shrugged. Collin groaned and pulled away from me, running his hands over his face before leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"So what, we just go after them with no strategy?"

"When have we ever had a strategy?"

"EVERYTIME WE-"

"When have we ever had a strategy that _**worked**_?"

Collin shot me a dirty look, but he knew he was defeated. If we'd made it this far without ever having a quality battle plan, we could go a little farther. Our family was worth it.

"Embry's gonna kill me when he sees that I've let you come."

"Good, you still think they're alive. Partner in crime, check. Great battle spirit, check."

"Battle plan, not check…." Collin grumbled shoving away from the wall. He looked at me and ran a hand through his hair again. "You really up for this?"

"Is that even a valid question?"

"You're willing to throw away what little life you have left and spend it playing Hide-N-Seek across Washington and possibly Canada?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. My life is what we're going to rescue right now."

With those final words, Collin shook his head and crawled out of the shattered window into our tattered front yard. I kept my eyes on the line of trees as he exploded from his skin, the shorts being left in tatters all around him as he did so. I was ready. Anything and anybody that was involved with hurting and taking my family was sure in for one Hell of a surprise.

Collin nudged me with his nose lightly, whimpering once more.

"I'm fine. I promise." I assured him, crawling onto his back. I positioned myself between his shoulder blades, holding onto his fur gently. "Let's go."


	30. Dear Readers! VERY IMPORTANT!

***Authors Note***

** Whowee! One book down, and yes, there will be a sequel to _Heat._ MY question, however, is if you're all willing to put that sequel off in order to explore more of the Imprints and their tales. Also, many of you have noted that _Brighter Than The Sun Itself _is incomplete-and this is why:**

**_BTTSI_**** was my first Pack Chronicles novel, and when I began writing it I was inexperienced and less in touch with myself as a writer, and therefore I feel it can be improved and modified. _BTTSI _is also the LAST novel in the Pack Chronicles, therefore it will be the LAST to be finished-also tying into the fact is that the final battle scene will be the biggest I've ever written, and so I will save it for last. The Chronicles are written in this order:**

**Young, Fun, and Hot-Blooded: Jared and Kim**

**Pitch: Paul and Haley**

**Cursed: Quil and Claire**

**Saving a Miracle: Jacob and Renesmee**

**Heat: Embry and Arbor**

**Brighter Than The Sun Itself : Seth and Analee**

**Pitch, Cursed, and Saving a Miracle will be written next in that order to fill the gap between Young, Fun, and Hot-Blooded and Heat! Then, I will write the next installment to Heat and return to Brighter Than The Sun.**

**Remember, you can always ask me questions through review or PM, so please don't be shy! And I love reviews, they inspire me to write more because it lets me know what the readers want to hear!**

**-xoxo, Sixth.**


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